The tube: An office building in Madrid by Selgas Cano.

In London, the underground railway is known as the tube. And if you know where to look, you can find old train carriages that have been recycled to make offices. As quirky as that might seem, none are as exciting as this tube of office designed by Spanish architect, Selgas Cano, and set in a beautiful Madrid garden that is thick with trees. The office has two distinct halves. The north side is formed from 20mm thick acrylic that curves around from roof to wall, giving an uninterrupted view of the garden. The south side is formed from a sandwich of polyester sheets with a translucent polythene insulation that shields the office from solar gain and glare. The body of the office is sunken into the ground giving a small child's view of the great trees above. The retaining walls also provide the necessary thermal mass to keep the office cool. Details of this unusual office, and other interesting office projects, can be found in the newly published book “best of DETAIL office” available from the Detail Online Store.