University of Life

It is rare to find solid surface work in Educational buildings but to find 4 unique pieces as these reception desks must be a first. We could have spread this over 3 postings but we wanted to celebrate the scope of this design project by architects A Plus.

'Masaryk University Campus is the largest project of its kind in the Czech Republic.
The project was set up in 2000 and the construction of the first part of the campus was completed in 2005. Currently the last parts of this imposing high-tech building are near to completion.
The detail park and office park form an integral part of the campus which will comprise also sporting, scientific and research facilities as well as residential premises in the near future.
The essential design concept for the campus is based on a clear spatial layout connecting science and technology with contemporary architecture. It is an excellent example of successful architectural design for the whole area including transport accessibility taking into consideration the nearby highway.
The interiors can boast a wide range of modern materials, among other things several significant corian applications. They include especially counters of help and front desks in individual buildings.'
Thanks again to solid surface maestro's -Amos Design.

Jollity Farm

Media studio specialists AKA Design produced this novel upholstered effect reception desk for The Farm Group. Top marks for a company that mixes technology and traditional making.

Pillow Torque

A reception desk manufactured by Specialist acrylic fabricators , Talbot Designs, for Sony Headquarters - London. And in their words:
'Using 10mm opal acrylic, we created this pillowed effect wall and reception desk area. Originally the designers wanted the material edges to butt together to achieve a seamless wall. When we advised that this was not going to be achievable over such a large area, we came up with the pillowed effect which was achievable and looked fantastic. We spent many days on site cutting and fitting the panels to individually fit the interior fit-out. All the panels were moulded in our large 3m x 2m ovens and trimmed to fit'.
Image via Lightzone.

Quality Street

Another from the workshop of Amos Design - solid surface perfection and subtly back lit . The reception desk sits in a building which is part of a new development within the famous confectionery district of Prague.

Cy did it I-Way

'What you're looking at may not be what is meant to be seen' is the creatively encompassing title from the overview of the I-Way project within his website by the multifaceted designer Cyrille Druart .
Take time to view more of this powerful space that this reception desk sits centre stage in on his website and absorb some thoughtful 3 dimensional ingenuity as well as marvel at his carbon fibre tipped penned illustrations. Thanks DEZeen.

Meadow of Runes

The original use of wood in the raw as executed for this reception desk by LSM Design reminds us of the work of Brent Comber as featured previously. Here for the Runnymead-on-thames Hotel timber abounds au naturel and manufactured.

News Of The World

MPs get 'world's most expensive desk'

MARIE WOOLF
Sunday, 25 July 1999

QUESTION: What has a glass top, seats two people and costs more than a three-bedroom house in Liverpool? Answer: the reception desk in the new House of Commons building.
The desk, which will have an opaque glass top and a limestone front, has a budget of pounds 83,000. Even MPs are embarrassed, describing the cost of their new piece of furniture as "outrageous" and "extravagant". The bill, of course, will be met by the taxpayer.
Portcullis House, which will house 200 MPs and their secretaries, is almost pounds 100m over budget and will cost pounds 250m to build. The interior fittings alone in the new parliamentary offices will cost more than pounds 12.5m.
The oak tables in the MPs' offices will cost pounds 500,000 and the fixtures and fittings in the Parliamentary shop have a budget of pounds 1.5m. The budget for "easy chairs" is more than pounds 220,000, and for the paving -stones in the block's extravagant courtyard, where a fountain is planned, it will exceed pounds 1m.
Norman Baker, Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, described the reception desk as "an outrageous waste of taxpayers' money", that must be "the most expensive desk in the universe".
The money spent on the desk alone would buy two terrace houses in Burnley, a flat in Balham, south London, or a cottage in the Kent countryside.
The House of Commons defended the cost of the piece of furniture as "reasonable".
"The desk has a glass top which will be opaque rather than clear. It has got cupboard space," said a spokesman for the building project. "The desk is in keeping with the high quality of the building."

From The Independent newspaper here in blighty.

Shaken not stirred

'Check out the attached photo to see a bespoke reception desk for the very reasonable sum of £5k. This one is in gloss laminate, with edge-lit acrylic strips and a frosted glass counter-top'.
Thanks to Joe Holdsworth @ Martina Furniture

Breath Of God

And he did this too...

With a few dimensional and constructional tweaks the beautiful Podium furniture at the top could quite easily be an equally beautiful reception desk. We featured the work of The Art Office early in the history of Reception desk World and now greatly admire the CNC brilliance of Philip K Smith III.