Move over, Japan; these Dutch designers may give you a run for your money in the department of joinery without screws or glue.
The innovative new office of Amsterdam ad agency Nothing was designed by Alrik Koudenburg and Joost van Bleiswijk using nothing (hah!) but interlocking pieces of reinforced cardboard – 500 square meters of it, and 1,500 separate pieces. That’s it. No glue, no screws, no tape, staples, etc. Just interlocking parts, like a giant custom-made Tinkertoy set.
The detail is amazing. Look how much it looks like actual steel beam construction.
Talk about green – and an incredibly economical way to fit out a new space.
I wonder how well those desk and table surfaces will hold up, though, especially once someone inevitably spills coffee or food on them. Maybe they’ve been treated with some kind of sealant – hopefully a green one.
Photos by Joachim Baan – more available here.
Amazing. Who’d have thought you can make offices out of cardboards? Thanks for sharing this, I definitely enjoyed reading your post.
Thanks! And yes, it is pretty incredible, isn’t it? Very creative indeed.
Cardboard is actually quite strong, particularly this thick reinforced stuff that they used. We just don’t think of it that way, especially because most of us are used to the thinner varieties.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some kind of infrastructure inside, but it also wouldn’t surprise me if there weren’t.
How cool is that? So simple, pure, and elegant. Very inspiring.
Interesting info. i will visit again=)