Modular garden office, Northumberland

This modular garden office was created for digital type foundry The Northern Block. The brief sought out to create a space that would be at one with values and process of type design – to provide a functional and inspirational environment.

The Northern Block director Jonathan Hill was also inspired by the principles of compact Japanese workspaces that made efficient use of space and natural light.

The building takes the form of a black-clad timber and glass structure, with a 5m long floating desk surface running the length of the interior, overlooking Northumberland countryside. The light-filled interior is as per the standard Modular building specification: internally lined with white-tinted birch plywood set between Douglas fir post and beams. The expressed structure sets a rhythm to the space and offers a reassuring symmetry.

In addition to the custom-made cantilever desk, a laminated plywood wall-mounted storage unit displays graphic design books and journals in open shelving and conceals lever arch files in the sliding door unit below. Magnetic glass whiteboard panels allow an area for the designers to pin up inspirational images and draw out sample ideas at large scale.

The garden office was delivered to site, prefabricated in panels, and took just 5 days to fully assemble.