Common Ground Workshop take cues from the urban realm at Embassy Gardens
Common Ground Workshop have completed a new speculative hospitality development including a restaurant, bar and events space at Embassy Gardens, Nine Elms.
The Campers&Dens platform delivers five ‘Layers of Privacy’ through pods, awnings and cabins in many different configurations.
Thinking about campervans and campsites gave Orangebox their defining idea, providing a template for how we intuitively engage with people in open spaces and also how we can physically define layers in our surroundings so that we’re able to function alongside others.
‘We intuitively know the rules of a campsite,’ says Campers&Dens designer Mark Partridge. ‘When you’re in your campervan, you’re off limits – in your own space. Move to the awning and you’re inviting a limited interaction, a wave and walk-on-by. Move to the open-field and you’re free to talk to anybody. These layers of privacy need to be mirrored in our workspace.’
The core to Campers&Dens is the pod architecture, combining a depth and integrity of sophisticated engineering and aesthetic architectural beauty – the beautiful box. Core to the concept is the idea of 80/20 engineering. 80% of the beautiful box delivers everything we need technically, including great ventilation, lighting, fire safety and acoustic performance.
Clients can have fun with the 20% – outer finishes, flexible architectural extensions and hack-ability have all been built-in to offer fun and aesthetic flexibility to create a unique design on every project.
‘The fact is, it’s arrogant of us to want our pods to look like ours in every client space. We want clients to make them look like theirs,’ says Mark.
The hacking possibilities for Campers&Dens are intended to give back vertical real estate to designers and architects. At the core of client’s chance to hack the pods is a clever structure specially designed to attach to the pods and accommodates mounting solutions for slats and stretch fabric. Orangebox have already hooked-up with hacking partners so that their clients can create unique solutions for their spaces.
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Available in four colours inspired by nature, the chairs are produced within a sustainable manufacturing process that reduces the impact on the environment.