Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Double the Creativity: Office Chair Expands to Seat Two

Posted: 19 Jun 2014 02:00 PM PDT

invitation chair closed

In an office or classroom setting, the need to share a bit of digital work-in-progress with a collaborator comes up often. Rochester Institute of Technology student Alexander Bennett came up with a novel way to encourage personal interactions rather than digitally mediated ones: the Invitation Chair.

invitation chair open

The chair looks just like a normal office chair, albeit a little new-agey. But when someone comes over and needs to share your computer screen for a moment, the chair separates and swivels to make two connected chairs.

swiveling chair converts to two seats

The seat and backrest swivel together, giving two people space to sit together and work or have a face-to-face conversation. The backrest also features a convenient handle.

shared invitation chair

According to the designer, the chair is meant to encourage creativity and camaraderie in a workplace setting. Since ideas flow more freely during personal interaction than during digital conversations, this may be one of the most brilliant office seating ideas ever.

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Four-Story Home With Functional Transparent-Walled Atrium

Posted: 19 Jun 2014 08:00 AM PDT

la rochelle white house

A French revolution has taken place in a tall but narrow home in La Rochelle. Le Studio Pierre Antoine Compain gave the four-story home an uncommon treatment by arranging its layers around a central atrium reaching from the ground floor all the way to the very top of the home.

ground level with glass floor

white staircase transparent walls atrium

The home is called the White House due to its generous use of white paint on walls and ceilings. This color choice has a dual purpose: it creates a very modern, minimal impression and also reflects light to make the rather small home appear larger. The floors are a light-colored wood, and little pops of bright colors keep the interior from feeling boring. Fuschia storage units line some of the walls so belongings can be tucked away to keep the living space looking clean and modern.

white house la rochelle france

fuschia storage walls library workspace

But of course, the star of the show is the four-level enclosed atrium. Most atria are simply decorative, but this is a functional feature of the home that houses space for work, play, and storage. Its transparent walls help the structure to feel light and airy while taking up very little visual space. The overall flow of the home is maintained and the natural light spreads freely throughout the space.

atrium workspace

spiral staircase

A tiny spiral staircase leads from the ground floor up to the very top of the home. Its very small footprint and tight spiral mean that it takes up virtually no physical space, but it does add another interesting (and functional!) visual element to the home. Follow it all the way to the top and you’ll find a tiny library in the enclosed top of the atrium, just below a large skylight.

four story home central atrium

glass floor office

At every level, the atrium is surrounded by the home’s functional areas. At the ground level, where the atrium begins, a small white staircase leads down through a section of glass floor. A full office occupies this space, which might otherwise feel disconnected or dingy. Thanks to the glass floor/ceiling, the office is filled with light and provides what looks to be a delightful place to spend a workday.