As well as building contemporary garden rooms Pod Space also build inspiring learning spaces. The Pod Space team have created an interesting infographic looking at creative environments and the best kind of environment to learn.
Pod Space
This archive of articles looks at the work of Pod Space, although it has been a while since we wrote about one of their projects. Pod Space garden rooms stand out in the market because of their strong contemporary style. They offer some stylish small buildings ideal as a home office right through to self-contained garden annexes.
Award Winning Pod Space
Pod Space are celebrating their win at The Northern Designs Awards in the category of Best Innovative Design. Judges included Sir Terence Conran, Wayne Hemingway and Diarmuid Gavin.
Pod Space Showcase A Complete Office Solution At Grand Designs Live
Pod Space have come up with a complete garden office solution – garden office and custom furniture
Garden Office Guide: Pod Space
We chat with contemporary garden room designers Pod Space about their range of home garden offices:
What is your most popular garden office design?
The Mini Pod is currently our most popular Pod for a garden office, although this is changeable. The Mini Pod is large enough to comfortably accommodate 2 workers whilst maintaining a bright spacious feel. For individual home workers our Micro Pod and Micro Pod Max remain very popular, especially as they are compact enough to fit in to most gardens.
Why does your design make the perfect garden office, how have you made it user friendly?
The Mini Pod like all of our rooms is fully customisable so your office can be exactly what you want it to be. It already features full height glazed sliding doors to the front and because we can fit additional windows and doors to your exact specification we can make the best use of the available light and views in your garden so that your office is a light and inspiring space. We can also fit options such as integrated desks and shelving so that your office is making the best use of the space available.
The installation process is as user friendly as the building itself and our use of a pre-cast concrete foundation system means that disruption to your garden will be kept to a minimum. Once the foundations are in the building can be installed in as little as 2 days and is ready to use immediately.
How do your garden offices comply with Planning Permission?
All of our garden rooms are designed to comply with permitted development. So for example all of our buildings are 2.5m high at eaves. Individual circumstances will of course be discussed and we are happy to advise clients further on whether planning permission would be required for their project. We will apply to the local authority on your behalf if necessary.
What size garden office do you recommend for one worker to work comfortably?
Our smallest garden building is the Micro Pod and at 2.5 x 2.0m it is compact enough to fit in to even a small garden whilst still being large enough inside to comfortably accommodate a lone worker. There is even sufficient room for shelving and storage.
And for two workers what size garden office do you suggest?
The Mini Pod at 4.1 x 3.65m can happily house 2 office workers with desk and storage space. For those looking for room enough for desk space and a meeting or sitting area then the Glide Pod offers 5.45 x 3.65m. The Glide Pod is even large enough to include w.c. or mini kitchen facilities making it a self contained office space.
Both of these Pods have large full height glazed sliding doors so are equally bright and spacious. They can of course be customised to ensure they are providing you with exactly the office space that will work for you.
Are the foundations included in the price, if so what type?
There are two pricing levels on our website. The basic supply price excludes foundations and electricity connection for those who wish to use their own preferred workers. We also have a full price which includes installation, foundations and power supply to the house.
The foundations that we use are an adjustable pre-cast concrete system. This avoids the need for messy wet mixing of concrete in your garden and reduces the amount of time required for laying foundations.
Are your garden offices suitable for year round use? What type of insulation do you use? How thick are your walls?
All of our garden buildings are insulated to exceed the building regulation requirements of a modern house. Our walls are 220mm thick and include a SIPS panel construction for high levels of insulation again to exceed that in most modern houses. We also incorporate vented cavities and high performance waterproof membranes to eliminate cold bridging. This makes our buildings as suitable for year round use as your own home. We also include contemporary flat panel heaters or Scandinavian low energy under floor heating for winter comfort.
What is the exterior cladding on your garden offices?
We specify western red cedar from well managed FSC certified Canadian forests. This timber is chosen for its naturally hard-wearing qualities. It is naturally durable and will typically last maintenance free for up to 40 years. It does not require any treatment and will naturally fade to a silver grey colour.
What is the roof covering?
We use a SIPS construction in the roofs of our Pods to ensure superior insulation. On our smaller units the flat roof is finished with the latest high performance single ply waterproof membranes. This can of course be completed with an optional green sedum roof to add to eco credentials of your garden building. There is also an option to have a mono or dual pitched roof which can be finished in either cedar tiles or grey roofing panels.
What is the interior lining and floor covering?
Our standard finish is painted plaster. We also offer premium grade white birch cladding boards as an option which can be finished with a factory sealed satin lacquer coating.
How many electrical sockets do you include as standard?
On the Mini Pod we include 3 double sockets as standard. These are all finished in satin stainless steel to match the other fixtures and fittings. We also include a telephone and data point in the same satin stainless steel finish.
What sort of lighting do you use in your offices, why have you chosen this type?
On the Mini Pod we include 6 low energy spotlights internally. These are again finished in satin stainless steel and are chosen for their energy efficiency to maintain our eco credentials. Outside we also include 2 moisture resistant spotlights to the external overhang.
Do you include heating in your garden office as standard, if so what type?
We include a contemporary slimline flat panel heater with fully programmable digital thermostat or low energy underfloor heating.
Broadband and telephone are important in a garden office, how do buyers get these to the office?
Our installation team can connect your Pod to a telephone line with broadband with no problem. This can be arranged on placement of order.
What optional extras would you recommend to create the perfect office setup?
To complete the internal contemporary look of your garden office we have a range of integrated office furniture that can be fit at the time of installation. We also appreciate that all gardens are different and so all of our Pods can be customised with additional windows or doors to allow you to make the best use of the available light and views in your garden. We can even include roof lights if your Pod will be tucked in to the boundaries of your garden. Of course the Pod needs to enhance your garden with its exterior design also so you may wish to add a green sedum roof.
What is the lead time on your garden offices?
Our standard lead time is 10 to 12 weeks, however, depending on your choice of windows and doors we may be able to install in as little as 5 weeks from placement of order.
What is the typical on site build time?
If it is possible to crane your Pod in to position we can have the whole process finished in 3 to 4 days in one continuous installation. We will advise you further on installation times at a site visit.
How much does a typical one person office cost?
Our Micro Pod price starts at £10,890.
How much does a typical two person office cost?
Our Mini Pod price starts at £21,850.
Are there any hidden extras? (planning fees, electrical hookup etc)
For all of our Pods we have a price available on our website that includes installation, foundations and electrical hook up. We are more than happy to apply to the local planning department on behalf of our clients, should this be necessary, and we would simply pass on their charges which vary between local authorities.
What is the lifespan of your garden offices, is there any ongoing maintenance?
Our Pods are maintenance free and are expected to last for many decades. We have chosen the materials that we specify for their sustainability as well as their quality and function. We are constantly revising our specification to ensure that we are at the forefront of design development and utilising the latest components. That includes the parts that cannot be seen so every part of your Pod structure is the highest quality of specification.
What guarantees come with the office, are they free?
We offer a five year guarantee on the structure of our Pods. We also offer a 12 month guarantee on fixtures and fittings or the manufacturers warranty.
If you could give a buyer one piece of advice about buying a garden office, what would it be?
Check out all of the structural components of a garden building. There are many ways of constructing a garden building so it is worth doing your research to check that they are built in accordance with building regulations for a house. Then you can be confident that it is built to last.
Interesting read? Find out more by calling Pod Space on 01484 841167 or visit their website www.pod-space.co.uk
New Eco Pod from Pod Space
The Ecopod is Pod Spaces largest standard sized pod, measuring 7.2 x 3.5m, and makes an ideal home office in which you can comfortably fit up to four adults. Not only will you save money on commercial rent, but you’ll also be reducing your carbon footprint. Just imagine leisurely finishing your breakfast, walking through your back door and within a few seconds, you’re sat at your desk. Pod Spaces highly efficient flat panel heaters and wireless thermostat, with Scandinavian windows and doors and energy glass means you’ll be comfortable all year round and of course the Ecopod comes with contemporary lighting, plug sockets and Internet / data points as standard. As this Pod also incorporates a dual pitched roof it is perfect to incorporate an optional mezzanine level to really maximise the space available. It is also large enough to include options such as shower room, w.c. and / or mini kitchen so this really can be a completely self contained unit. It’s size and space makes it suitable for a large range of uses so it could be the ideal solution to get the most out of your garden.
Prices from £33,950+Vat.
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High specification pod as standard briefly comprising of the following:
- Multilayer 220mm thick walls with SIPS insulated panel and steel structure (Walls, Floor and Roof).
- Premium grade Siberian Larch cladding.
- Large Scandinavian corner window with opener and satin stainless steel ironmongery.
- Scandinavian sliding door and adjacent tall window – highly efficient and secure by design accredited.
- Colour coated aluminium roof and base flashing’s.
- Modern standing seam roof covering colour matched to windows and doors – will stay looking great for decades.
- Contemporary low maintenance natural rubber floor or real wood flooring.
- Plaster and painted walls.
- Flush mounted satin stainless steel sockets, switches and data point.
- Modern suspended anodised aluminium lights.
- Includes site installation but excludes foundations and power connection.
- We can also offer a free upgrade to Scandinavian energy efficient underfloor heating and digital thermostat upgrade worth £890+Vat
£35,390+Vat Includes site installation, foundations and power connection to house (subject to site survey and delivery charge).
If you want to learn more about this exciting eco friendly garden room call Pod Space on 01484 841167 or visit www.pod-space.co.uk
See Pod Space at Grand Designs Live
It’s a couple of months away but we are delighted to hear that Pod Space will be exhibiting their Micro Pod Max at Grand Designs Live at the NEC in Birmingham between the 7th and 9th October 2011.
We recently profiled the Micro Pod Max on The Garden Room Guide and Grand Designs Live will offer interested parties the chance to experience the quality of this garden room up close. You will find Pod Space at G544 (opposite the VIP area) in the Grand Show Gardens section.
If you want discounted tickets for the show visit the Pod Space website for details.
Next week we will be showcasing another of Pod Spaces new ranges, the Eco Pod.
Pod Space Micropod
The Micropod and its bigger sibling the Micropod Max are the ideal set up for the home worker, they maybe smaller in stature than the other garden rooms in the Pod Space range but their specification packs no less of a punch, let’s have a look.
Latest Pod Space Designs
Pod Space have always been popular with The Garden Room Guide readers who like the crisp contemporary lines of these garden rooms coupled with the emphasis on thermal performance without compromising on light and space, but we haven’t featured them much recently, this is because Pod Space have been busy honing their designs and increasing the range of garden rooms they offer. We think it has been worth the wait!
Pod Space now have 5 standard units – the micro pod, micro pod max, mini pod, glide pod and eco pod. The extension to the range to include the smaller micro pod and micro pod max has enabled Pod Space to bring quality garden rooms to clients with a smaller budget or individual home workers who require a small work space away from the main house.
Pod Space explain the redesign:
[quote]The aim of our re-design is to maintain the high quality of our garden rooms. We are constantly researching new products to ensure we are always delivering the highest standards of thermally efficient Pods for year round use but without compromising on delivery of light and space. This has included a change to our SIPS panel structure which is now even more efficient than before so that our Pods are even more thermally efficient than previously and naturally even more efficient than you’d expect in a new house. We’ve also invested in the external design with some new features that keep our Pods looking contemporary as well as improving their overall security and performance.”[/quote][flagallery gid=38 name=”Gallery”]
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Pod Space also have a completely new website which has the contemporary and designer feel that is echoed throughout Pod Space designs.
For more information about these exciting garden rooms visit the Pod Space website
Cedar Cladding
Western Red Cedar cladding is a popular finish on many garden offices, particularly contemporary garden offices where cedars clear grain and subtle colouring enhance the contemporary feel.
Although Western Red Cedar can be sourced from forests in the UK, the bulk of Western Red Cedar used in garden office construction is grown along the pacific coast from Northern California to Southwest Alaska; British Columbia alone has an estimated 750 million cubic meters of Western Red Cedar trees. A Western Red Cedar tree can grow up to 60m high and can have a diameter of 2.4m.
The amount of Western Red Cedar that is cut each year is strictly regulated, in British Columbia the chief forester determines how much is cut each year, but typically less than 1% of British Columbia’s Western Red Cedar is cut each year. When trees are cut it’s in such a way that groups of trees are left untouched and areas are reforested with seedlings.
Western Red Cedar is an excellent choice for garden office cladding as it is a dimensionally stable wood, which means it swells and shrinks minimally in response to humidity, so gaps won’t appear in the cladding. Western Red Cedar is also a good cladding because it has natural resistance to moisture absorption.
Western Red Cedar used for garden office cladding is often moulded into a tongue & groove profile which is particularly appropriate for contemporary designs as it is a flat profile with a simple ‘v’ groove between the boards. Western Red Cedar T&G cladding can be fixed both vertically and horizontally. Western Red Cedar interacts with ferrous materials so it is important that it is fixed with stainless steel or hot dipped galvanised fixings.
Western Red Cedars heartwood is a naturally durable material and can be left untreated; its rich brown and red colours will weather to a silver grey, if this is not desired Western Red Cedar cladding can be treated with an Alkyd based resin.
Western Red Cedar has a life expectancy in excess of 60 years and it is categorised as one of the most durable softwoods.
Western Red Cedar is a very light weight material which makes it quick to install so, for speed of installation, durability and its aesthetic properties Western Red Cedar is the perfect cladding for a garden office.
Pod Space and Vivid Green offer Western Red Cedar as standard cladding on their garden offices.
Pod Space
[caption id="attachment_389" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Exterior of garden room by Pod Space"]
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[/caption]Pod Space are architecturally designed garden rooms with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency and conservation of natural resources.
These contemporary modular garden rooms have the attention to detail that only an architect can provide. These striking buildings are available in three designs, the Eco Pod, Glide Pod and the Mini Pod.
Energy efficiency is at the forefront when choosing materials, and they are combined to create garden rooms which outperform current building regulation standards, so offer comfortable use all year round.
The Pod Space garden rooms are very sturdy with 240mm thick walls, which are made up of various layers including the important vapour and breather membranes which keep the building watertight and insulation which eliminates thermal bridging.
[caption id="attachment_390" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Inside a Pod Space garden room"][/caption]The materials used externally create clean crisp lines, high performance floor to ceiling doors and windows create a flow of inside / outside space and lead out onto a covered deck area with unique louvered sunshade / privacy screen. All external woodwork is finished in Western Red Cedar which is fixed vertically to emphasis the contemporary look and will last maintenance free for 40 years, whilst the doors, windows and fascia are finished in a contrasting dark grey powder coated cladding.
Internally the floor has a natural rubber covering which is available in 80 different colours whilst the walls and ceiling are finished with a premium white beech veneer which continues the contemporary feel, if you are more traditionally minded a plastered finish is also available. All electrical and door fittings are finished in brushed steel and the heating is in the form of slimline, programmable wall heaters.
If the Pod Space garden rooms aren’t already well specified there are a host of upgrade options available such as pitched roof, kitchen and w.c. areas, under floor heating system and a sedum living roof covering which provides the garden room with additional thermal and acoustic insulation, and helps to control CO2 emissions.
Pod Space garden rooms are built in factory conditions to ensure high, quality control, and this minimises onsite construction time which can be as little as two days.
Prices for Pod Space garden rooms start at £16,450 plus VAT and delivery for a 4.6 x 3.8m Mini Pod, lead time is approximately 12 weeks and all buildings come with a 5 year guarantee.
For more information visit the Pod Space website.
For more photos visit our Flickr site