That may all be true, but as the open office trend has grown, so has an entire industry of products designed to correct all of the problems they present for employees who struggle to focus, hear one another, and enjoy any measure of privacy in their distraction-riddled environments.

Sound-dampening privacy pods provide a compromise between the new open office ethos and hallways lined with separate enclosed rooms for each employee. Enter the headquarters of just about any large company today, and what you’ll see is almost certainly a wide open space filled with modular pods designed for small meetings or solitary concentration.

At an office like AirBnb’s San Francisco headquarters, these “pods” might actually take the shape of padded illuminated niches cut into a giant wooden “ship” or house-shaped booths for private phone calls, but you don’t have to have the budget of a multi-billion-dollar corporation to make the concept work for your space.

The “Planet for Two” by Ukrainian design duo MZPA is a portable solution that can be placed in any open space for instant privacy, and it’s cool-looking, too. Built to fit two people (as its name suggests), this geodesic meeting room is made from connected triangles of plywood, powder-coated metal connectors, and a plush fabric mattress in customizable colors. It’s based on a previous design called “The Planet,” which itself accommodates a single user.

The designers envision both of these geometric pods as multipurpose rooms-within-rooms that can be used for meetings, lounging, brainstorming, phone calls, or even in place of a desk for employees who work more efficiently in less open environments. Communication is key in any business, they note, and while open office plans seem like they should foster more of it, too much noise and activity can make people feel like they have to shout over each other to be heard, worsening the problem.

Available for delivery anywhere in the world, the Planet for Two retails for $5,700 and comes with a built-in LED lamp, speaker system, USB charging port for electronic devices, and even a few optional solar panels so you can place it outdoors if you like. It’s easy to imagine these pods fitting right into places like airports, cafés, and college campuses.

“It’s great for moments when you need to stay alone, gather your thoughts and focus, and have a cup of coffee,” say designers Julia Kononenko and Artem Zakharchenko.

More than anything, pods like the “Planet for Two” demonstrate the need for offices to remain flexible to both the diverse needs of staff and changing trends in office interior design. Give your employees enough privacy and quiet, and they might not have to resort to such desperate tactics as noise-cancelling helmets that look like a joke from a comedy set in outer space.

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With these changes come new opportunities. If you’ve ever considered running an Airbnb, a treehouse company is offering an easy, relatively low-maintenance way to do it. “Treewalkers” by O2 Treehouse is “a treehouse hospitality franchise” with beautiful modular treehouse structures that can be erected as single units or “treehouse villages,” so you can turn a chunk of vacant land into a money-making paradise.

First of all, the structures are beautiful, providing an experience that’s a few notches above tent camping — more in the realm of “glamping.” They can either be strung up among trees or installed on the ground, coming in modular kits that are customizable to adapt to the final location. They consist of O2 Treehouse’s “tetra truss” wooden structure system, a wooden platform, built-in furniture, tension cables, and a canvas canopy. Each unit can also contain all the furniture you’d normally find in a hotel room, including a queen-size bed, built-in benches, bookcases, and a dining bar.

Aiming to capitalize on both the ecotourism and home-sharing markets, “Treewalkers” is a franchise network that enables investors to start their own mini getaway businesses for about $35,000 to $50,000 per glamping treehouse (plus the cost of whatever land you’re putting it on). The company recommends renting them out for $150 to $200 per night with 30 to 60-percent expected annual occupancy, potentially earning buyers a fast return on their initial investment.

The ecotourism industry was valued at $265 billion worldwide in 2018, and while it definitely took a hit this year, it’s still projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14 percent. O2 Treewalkers founder Dustin Feider believes that his company’s unique treehouses are exactly the kind of thing travelers are going to be looking for in 2021 and beyond.

“We offer the ideal product both for potential franchisees looking for a unique opportunity to invest, and for consumers looking for a chance to get away from their fast-paced, concrete-filled life and enter a more tranquil and beautiful world,” says Feider.

“Our vision is to create stunning and inspired architectural forms that delight heart and soul and bring people together in unique natural settings. In this way, we believe that the disconnect between humans and the natural world may begin to heal.”

O2 Treehouses has built about 85 treehouses since Feider built his first geodesic structure in a Wisconsin poplar tree in 2005, many of which have been featured in over 100 design publications. Their portfolio is full of stunning custom treehouses, including geodesic domes and the unique (and appropriately named) Pinecone Treehouse.

If you’d rather just buy one exclusively for your own use, you can definitely do that, too. And hey, if the project is successful, maybe there will be a Treewalker treehouse for rent in a desirable area near you sometime soon.

The post Create Your Own Glamping Airbnb With O2 Treewalkers Treehouses first appeared on Dornob.

The Bed & Breakfast Santulan is one such project, set in the desert of Baja California, Mexico. Completed in 2019 and designed by architecture firm Santos Bolívar, this scattering of structures combines vernacular and modern aesthetics and materials into a seamless whole that feels fully at home in its surroundings. Made of rammed earth bricks, the upper parts of each volume have a more traditional appearance, and when viewed from afar, they seem to be floating above the sand and cacti below.

But each of these buildings is actually set upon a faceted, mirrored modern plinth, which themselves reflect various scenes around the property. Depending on the angle of the facet, that might be the red earth, the blue sky, or the faint gray mountains. Floating concrete staircases connect the buildings to the ground, and a long walkway leads into a striking subterranean geodesic dome conceived as a place for meditation.

“Santulan” means “balance” in Hindi, explains lead architect José Antonio de los Santos Bolívar, and that word is the guiding concept used for the development of the entire complex. The architect wanted the hotel to be both a tourist destination and an example of a culture of respect and balance with the ecosystem, both from visitors and from the architecture itself.

“We wanted to break with the architectural typology of a hotel that develops its services within a same volumetric body. [A]fter incessantly analyzing the site and its geographical and natural qualities, we made the decision to project its architectural program in different buildings interconnected by means of walkways that interact directly with nature and are architects of an invitation to live different spiritual and architectural experiences. [We also attempted] to make these walkers the result of the analysis of the traces of the OM mantra symbol, a part of an integral design that seeks the balance between architecture, nature, mind, and spirit.”

In addition to using blocks of compacted earth as a main building material, the hotel includes other ecologically sensitive features like greywater recycling wetlands, a fog catcher tower to capture water from the air, low-maintenance green roofs planted with native grasses, an organic orchard, low-water landscaping, and a natural cross-ventilation system. All of these considerations add to the peaceful and low-impact atmosphere of the hotel, which is augmented by the unusual nature of its reflective architecture.

Bed & Breakfast Santulan is the architect’s second project in Baja California’s Valle de Guadalupe. The first was the Media Perra Brewery, which uses similar materials alongside strategically folded metal facades that help shade the interiors from the harsh desert sun. The adobe blocks seen in this 2014 project are a trademark of the native Kumiai people who live nearby. Both projects achieve a sense of harmony with the landscape and traditions of the area, as well as the era in which they’re being built.

The post Optical Illusion Bed & Breakfast Appears to Float Above the Desert Landscape first appeared on Dornob.

The post Arctic House in a Geodesic Dome first appeared on Dornob.

As beautiful as art pieces placed under the sea may sound, the process of building the structures was far from easy. Artist Doug Aitken, who wanted his installation to raise awareness about the declining health of the world’s oceans, even needed some extra assistance in the execution. Keeping all marine life safe in the process was his number one concern. The materials, placement, and installation of the pavilions were all crucial in making or breaking the environmental integrity of the project.

With the help of Cyrill Gutsch, a partner on the project and the founder of the conservation group Parley For The Oceans, and a whole network of specialized workers, Underwater Pavilions eventually came to life. Bill Bushing, a local diver who has lived on Catalina for the majority of his life, conducted a survey of the fish habitat to find the ideal spot for the pavilions. Marine biologist Sylvia Earle and her company DOER Marine helped with the construction. Also recruited was Liz Taylor, a submarine builder and the President of DOER, who contributed her extensive diving experience and familiarity with the local ecology to the team. Taylor also helped Aitken secure all the necessary permits.

The post Underwater Art Installation Sparks Conversation Over Dying Oceans first appeared on Dornob.

“Just getting the permit was a bit of a challenge,” she says, “because [the building department] had no idea what we were talking about.”

What they were talking about, as it turns out, was a geodesic dome: a structure inspired by the creations of 20th-century architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller. Enlisting the help of an engineer, they were eventually able to gain approval from the city and start construction. It took seven years to carefully plot every detail of the design, from performing the initial calculations to handcrafting each triangular piece that makes up the dome. These pieces are lined with beautifully aged wood from a nearby warehouse that had been torn down.

The home consists of three interconnected spheres on a platform built into the hillside. One acts as the entryway, one holds bedrooms, and the third hosts all the home’s common areas, like the kitchen and living room. This third dome opens out onto a spacious balcony and features a gorgeous skylight and glass panels for better views of the dramatic landscape around it.

“With characteristics found nowhere else in the area and highlighted by its geodesic dome structure, the home presents countless architectural features to complement such unique design, including wooden interior walls made of recycled wood, large windows & skylights providing ample natural light, magnificent handmade stained glass accents, colorful cabinetry and decor, and shingled exterior siding — neatly tucked against a one-acre private hillside overlooking the Diablo Valley,” reads Pacific Union Realty’s description of the property.

“Entering from the front handcrafted wooden door you’re met with features befitting of the home’s unique architectural design namely an expansive, triangular window wall in the main living area overlooking the large deck & outdoor setting. Updated kitchen with custom cabinets, stainless steel appliances, sizable bedrooms and bathrooms, living and family rooms.”

Williamson’s children grew up and left the nest, and then last year, her husband passed away, leaving her feeling like the home was too large for just herself to live in. She put it on the market for $889,000, and a sale is currently pending. If the home is ever dismantled, Williamson hopes the people doing the demolition will take the time to carefully disassemble the triangular panels, because there are small treasures hidden in the framework. During construction, neighborhood children helped put the panels together and hid messages inside some of them.

Photos by Todd Taylor of the Taylor Photography Group.

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A comfy body-cradling modern chair effortlessly distributes weight while remaining light in look and form, just like the large-scale geodesic dome that inspired it. The Q1 Lounge Chair by Ukraine-based designers ODESD2 mimics the shape and function of Buckminster Fuller’s famous dome, consisting of a thin shell made up of triangular elements.

The shape isn’t just visually pleasing, it’s also ergonomic, offering a cozy cushioned seat that supports a variety of positions, whether you want to sit up straight to work or curl into a ball.

The sharp geometry of the semi-spherical chair is softened by a large cushion that echoes the shape of the frame, upholstered in soft chenille and filled with an environmentally friendly synthetic material.

Fuller’s geodesic dome is a popular shape forming the basis of all sorts of designs, including tents, houseboats and lamps.

More from the designer

“It is based on Richard Buckminster Fuller’s spherical thin-shell structure, which is used for creating the geodesic domes. As is known, such domes have high load carrying capacity, but can be rapidly created of the light elements. Q1 chair like geodesic dome: it can withstand heavy loads, while remaining visually easy.The inside of the chair upholstered with felt to keep warm, soft parts are made of chenille with flocking substrate. Hollowfiber® is used for filling, it’s an environmentally friendly synthetic material capable of retaining its shape, unlike classical fillers.”

“The spherical shape of the chair provides the most comfortable and natural fit for human and appearance makes it versatile for both the public and home interiors.”

About ODESD2

“ODESD2 creates products, based on fundamental principles, filled with timeless aesthetics and embodied in latest technology. Each chair, table or sofa is full of deep meanings and is designed for like-minded people. From the United States to Australia, from Japan back to the heart of Ukraine – ODESD2 finds a response from people of different cultures, but with the same characters. “

The post Buckminster Fuller’s Geodesic Dome Has Never Looked So Comfortable first appeared on Dornob.

Geodesic dome homes are nothing new, but few can boast being both as robust and attractive as this proposal by NRJA. It boasts cheap but strong materials and prefabricated parts for quick construction in remote locations.

Unlike its (albeit more portable) traditional cousins, the DOM (E) is designed to be a fully-functional house with all the rooms, appliances and amenities one would expect from conventional construction, but the cost savings and structural durability that geodesic building techniques provide.

Its panel-based system allow for selective fenestration and other forms of simple modular customization. From its creators: “DOM (E) is perfect for those who value unconventional space, easily foldable, durable environmentally friendly use of materials and construction, with lower costs compared to traditional construction and rational use of natural energy supply.”

About its construction: “The construction: self supporting internal structure provides resistance to external influences – glued laminated timber with metal mounts, 200mm insulation, exterior finish – 9mm fiber concrete slab, covered with liquid rubber, interior decoration – birch plywood. Pre-prepared foundation insulation around the perimeter. Frame and filling – on-site prefabricated.”

“Shape of the building provides natural air exchange. The fresh air supply to the building is provided through 4 points by underground duct system which provides the heating of fresh air during the winter and cooling in summer. At the top of the dome adjustable vertical communication channel is provided for used air. Heating – fireplace with warm air heating pipe system. “

“Solar panels located at the top of the roof are connected to the hot water tank, providing toilet facilities and kitchen with warm water. Drainage system which is located around the perimeter can be connected to rainwater collection tank.”

“No Rules Just Architecture is based in Riga and led by Uldis Luksevics. Established in 2005, NRJA now employs ten architects, half of them students. As most of the practice’s work comes through invited competitions, NRJA always tries to extend its detailed proposals even to areas not required by the competition brief.”

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The only astronomic hotel in the Southern Hemisphere, Elqui Domos takes advantage of prime stargazing in Chile’s Andes Mountains with dome-shaped tents, cabins, wooden observatories, astronomic tours and nighttime horseback riding. Mild temperatures, crisp, clear skies and lack of light pollution provide ideal conditions to take in the beauty of the atmosphere.

Located about 500km (311 miles) north of Santiago, Elqui Domos offers seven 4-person geodesic domes with large skylights placed on wooden decks, as well as four new cabins with angled windows pointing at the sky. While the domes provide a camping experience of lying beneath the stars, the cabins attempt to recreate that feeling with additional luxury.

Set on a hillside, the cabins offer views of both the valley and the mountains as well as the wide open skies. Designed by Santiago-based RDM Arquitectura, these ‘observatory’ cabins have three levels. Each has a roof terrace that functions as the main living space, fitted with telescopes to encourage stargazing.

Astronomy materials are available in each cabin, and guests are also invited to meditate or even get tarot readings. Lodging starts at $150 per night.

“Our main challenge was to carry out an intervention that would improve the domes’ living condition while highlighting the elements that make this hotel so unique,” says RDM Arquitectos. “

To refashion the existing rooms, we emphasized the role of the terrace as main living area, and highlighted a specific sense of lightness –usually found in textile architecture– by placing the cabins’ volumes barely sitting on the land, reminiscent of foreign artifacts used for sleeping, dominating the landscape, or staring at the stars.”

“For the new bedrooms (first build stage) the idea was to come up with a room type that would provide a complementary alternative ­–with better living standards than the fabric domes–, that would make better use of the available land, while maintaining and enhancing the conditions that make Elqui Domos such a special experience.”

“The fact that the new rooms had to be placed exactly where the topography changes –between the vast vegetation of the valley and the harsh, dry mountain overhang– called for bringing this condition to light. To achieve this, we conceived a type of cabin that was raised above the ground and had an inside graded space, which would negotiate the two different views –valley and mountains– by opposing two glass walls across the entire width of the cabin.”

“The transparent wall that shows the mountains was suggested as a junction between wall and sky, angled in a way that would allow it’s peak to be seen from anywhere within the cabin. At the same time it would allow to recreate the feel of lying beneath the stars the existing dome cabins provide. The roof deck was the final element, placed so that it revives the dominant and privileged position of the cabins towards the geography. “

The post Epic Stargazing from Geodesic Dome Tents at Chile Hotel first appeared on Dornob.

This may be the biggest invention since that long-standing, still-universal staple of the construction industry: the red clay brick. A single identical unit, multiplied by four, forms a rigid structural element – stack these and set them side by side, and you have nothing short of a material revolution.

Created by Dror Benshetrit after years of toying with related geometries and building methods, this super-simple, gravity-driven block system known as “QuaDror” has as many applications as one can imagine. It could be used for short-term emergency shelters, on the one hand, or to hold up bridges for the long haul on the other.

Think: Buckminster Fuller domes for the 21st Century. Uniform in shape and size, each pair expands outward to provide stability like (and require less space than) a conventional building block – they are symmetrical on both sides, but joined together are beyond tough to topple.

So how high can they go? Up to 86 of these flat pack concrete structures can be piled, one atop the next, making sizable structures a real possibility on the scale of most masonry equivalents – but with far less mass. Nor is the shape limited to concrete – wood, books, even cardboard can be constructed around this geometrical concept and stand upright without risk of collapse (beyond material capacity). Who knows: these may be the new triangles (or at least as neat as see-through concrete and transparent aluminum!).

Here’s more from the designer about the evolution of this unusual object:

“In 2006, while experimenting in the workshop, Dror discovered a serendipitous geometry. Initially inspired by the aesthetic and flexibility of this versatile form, he soon realized the structural integrity of the interlocking members. The unique space truss geometry – now named QuaDror – is made from the assembly of four identical L-shaped pieces, either thin resulting in a trestle structure, or thick resulting in a solid panel. The collapsible system allows for rapid assembly and a transition from closed and flat to open and self-standing.”

“Four years of inspired and diligent investigations in a collaborative and experimental environment have allowed the team to develop a unique structure that can adapt to a variety of conditions and configurations. These range from product design, trestle structures, dwellings, dividing walls, sound barriers, and more. Some applications take advantage of its load-bearing capabilities, while others capitalize on its acoustic properties, ease of manufacturing, collapsibility and energy performance.”

“Boosted by a team of experts, the studio conducted inter-disciplinary research and rigorous analysis, to soon discover the overwhelming strength of the geometry coming from the most simplistic physical force. The geometry revealed five development direction for applications with endless possibilities; dividing, dwelling, trestle, fenestration and artistic installation. These enabled designs reflect an ever-changing world where contextual factors and technological resources are shifting definitions of architecture, design, and the traditional boundaries between disciplines.”

The post Folding Concrete?! Flat-Pack Building Blocks of the Future first appeared on Dornob.

On its maiden voyage, this first-of-its-kind floating dome dwelling drifted lazily between Hamburg and Berlin and certainly made waves alongside Zendome‘s general release of Home Edition, its residential variant.

Set upon a platform of welded frame-hull construction, the Zendome Home Edition dome home blends elements of a basic dock (easy to attach a sailboat to, for instance) and an outdoor deck to compliment the PVC-and-aluminum living and sleeping zone.

Naturally stable due to its lightweight construction and low center of gravity, the all weather geodesic dome itself easily weathered its trip, though for longer cruises on more open waters (rather than peaceful rivers) it is hard to say how it would really hold up.

Still, while it might not have the sure footing or copious amenities of its land-based brethren, this water-going variant would certainly make for nice short stays and modest day drips up and down local canals … and besides, you can always take it down and reconstruct it on dry ground. With the ability to install a real wood burning stove, it sure looks like it would be plenty cozy enough for use in all sorts of settings.

“From now on ZENDOME is also available as the ZENDOME.20 Home-Edition for the exclusive Home & Garden area with multiple ways of possible use. Be it as a roof for the swimming pool, a temporary guest house, a garden house or simply a beautiful playhouse for the kids.”

“The frame system is constructed of powder coated galvanized steel with a strength of 2mm. 161 poles and junction discs are assembled following the easy to use colour coding of the Advanced Frame System (ADF-System). The membrane is made of all-weather welded Ferrari® material: Perfect for any given use.”

“ZENVISION is a research-based company with continuous development activities in the areas of 360°lab – Immersive Media, Temporary Living / Glamping and open source architecture. Through high caliber partnerships, we are constantly expanding our range of knowledge in the subject areas and adjoining disciplines. A global network of partners from research and industry and their competencies will bring best People together to initiate research activities and drive the development of mobile architecture forward. “

The post Floating Geodesic Dome Home first appeared on Dornob.

From winter weather-resistant, fireplace-equipped dwellings made for snowy mountainsides to meadow-worthy, naturally-ventilated residences, geodesic dome home designs have begun to take on ever more demanding and complex tasks.

Popularized as festival structures and event spaces, for everything from white weddings to corporate functions, flexible modular geodesic domes have enjoyed a rapid resurgence in recent years – and making them into habitable structures appears to be the latest frontier, with companies like Zendome leading the pack.

Some are simply shade structures used for covering pools or providing guest quarters and playhouse spaces for kids, but others come equipped with kitchens, bathrooms and other full-time-living amenities.

As off-the-grid, low-impact lodgings go, these kinds of frame-and-canvas structures are about as good as it gets. Lightweight and low impact, they can be quickly constructed between just one or two people and dismantled as easily and efficiently as well (not to mention: interconnected, extended and added to down the line).

The frameworks are constructed of galvanized power-coated steel, then wrapped in an all-weather membrane of PVC-coated polyester (both water-tight and flame-resistant). Starting at over $10,000, though, they are still anything but cheap.

What would be really neat to see, though, is a combination of their portable-but-large-scale and permanent-but-home-size applications – whole networks of interconnected rooms designed not just for events but for full-time dwelling, too. But there is time – after all, geodesics have a long history, and doubtless far further yet to travel:

“For centuries mankind has been searching for the perfect form. Around 600 BC the Pythagoreans tried to split up a sphere into smaller and smaller segments. The so gained Tetrahedron, cube and decahedron forms were further investigated and split up by the Greek Philosopher Plato in his Academy. The platonic geometric forms are still named after him (Tetrahedron, Icosahedron and Octahedron as well as the cube) and were presented as well as described in mathematical formulas by Euclid in his XIII book of elements (300 BC). With the help of these formulas Johannes Kepler was able to describe the orbital radius of the then known six planets by means of a certain combination of these five forms and their inner and outer spheres in his “Mysterium Cosmographicum” (1596).”

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