Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

h a l f b a k e r y
Apply directly to forehead.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, best, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: Browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

User:
Pass:

or Create a new account.


                   
Please log in.
If you're not logged in, you can see what this page looks like, but you will not be able to add anything.



Periscopic multi-storey office building
Architectural feature providing the illusion of multi-storey open plan layout
  (+13)(+13)
(+13)
  [vote for,
against]


The current fashion for the modern office is still the open-plan layout. But with the price of downtown office real estate in some cities, this is not elegantly achievable in office blocks where floors have a narrow footprint.

One solution would be an architectural design where two complete walls on each floor are comprised of a mirror canted at a 45 degree angles, relative to the floor above or below. One wall would be angled 'upward' toward an opposing mirror on the floor above, while the wall/mirror at the other end of the office would be angled 'down' toward an opposing mirror on the floor below. This would create a periscopic effect for the entire office block, such that it would be possible for workers to 'see' every single floor, in the horizontal plane, appearing one after the other. Audio feeds completing the illusion of a multi-storey open plan layout would be optional.

The building's strength would need to come from interior pillars rather than wall rigidity for obvious reasons. Waist-height barriers would also be needed to prevent people from wandering into the wall/mirrors...

(PS. I know this idea is similar to the "Office Periscope" already in the halfbakery (I was amazed to find a similar idea at all!); however, this is an architectural feature rather than a device - and one designed to allow all workers to see every floor at once, not just a selected floor.)


Adze, Apr 24 2005



Annotation:







       Neat +

FarmerJohn, Apr 24 2005
  

       Hah! I really like this idea.

bristolz, Apr 29 2005
  

       Very cool. Just please not an endless sea of cubicles though. And, how would you be able to look out the window too? (Everyone wants a window office, eh?)

sophocles, Apr 29 2005
  

       [sophocles] Aha - that's why only two walls are mirrors. :)

Adze, Apr 29 2005
  

       So, when you enter the building you'd see a vast floor area stretching out in front of you, with the people working on the top floor appearing to be at the back of this vast space? If so, a very clever idea. I'd enjoy using my laser pointer to point to things on the top floor.

hippo, Apr 30 2005
  

       (+) The force is strong with this one.   

       The fact that every other floor would apear to be upside down would make things interesting.....   

       but maybe you could avoid this effect by using two curved mirrors. rather then straight ones.

RBStimers, Apr 30 2005
  

       An astute observation [RBS], I hadn't considered that problem.   

       I thought of a floor-mounted 'plus lens' as an alternative fix to counter that effect , but I like your curved mirror solution better (so long as they could be configured to eliminate distortion).

Adze, May 01 2005
  


 
back: main index
 business 
 computer 
 culture 
 fashion 
 food 
 halfbakery 
 home 
 other 
 product 
 public 
 science 
 sport 
 vehicle