PLANET DESIGN WEEKLY

Hi there, this weeks images just seem to get better and better. Some pretty neat interiors of offices in this lot, plus some pretty cool photography. Need to have a wee gripe this week though, in our industry we are constantly being asked to provide spaces and places for people to make them feel enlivened by their working environment, and I have noted a trend amongst a lot of businesses to now dumb this down and to not only try to spend less and less, but to make their work environments absolutely mundane, boring, cheap and as uninspiring as you possibly can, I guess their thinking is that less cost equates to better business because the bottom line is improved. That's all good for now, but I am really worried, really worried for what this is going to do to the future of our working environments. I had a meeting a few weeks ago where I wanted to stand up and say to the consultants across the table from me who were quoting 'international design standards', (even though they couldn't actually tell me what those standards were), that in 2 or 3 years time when we are called back in to fix the mess these 'consultants' have caused, that they will be long gone, off on another project spouting their BS to another unsuspecting client, and we are left with the mess to clean up. The funny thing was these 'consultants' wanted us to come back in and present the design to the staff, pfftttt, as if. Sure shoot the messenger. They knew it was wrong ( you could see it in their furtive darting eyes, and flushed faces), we certainly knew it was wrong and what's more the client knew it was wrong too, but the client couldn't do anything about it. I felt sorry for the client because they are getting forced into something that they know from years of 'local experience', that they are the ones who are going to take the flack. I've seen this happen so many times in the 25 years of trying to provide enlightened modern intelligent interiors that actually work for the client. I guess what I am trying to say here is that people are devaluing design because the money has become more important, but it doesn't need to be that way. This blog should show you that, great design comes in all forms shapes and sizes and cost as much or as little as you want. Be inspired!

This is Bob Hopes house in california, up for sale! Wow is about all you can say.

Chrome slide down 4 stories in this loft apartment, pretty out there.

Glass floors, i find this a bit un-nerving

Great space

Isn't it ironic, the companies that spend time investing in their people through their interiors are the IT and computer technology companies who funnily enough are the companies that do so well, because they realise that people are the biggest investment and profit makers in their companies, and they need to be inspired.