December 15 2016

The sight of a suited office worker scurrying into a phone box may be limited to Superman films no longer after Miles Broe Architecture have thought outside the box for the conversion of two historic red telephone boxes outside the National Library of Scotland to form self-contained office pods.

Thinking outside the box M B will working within the footprint of the existing listed cubicles, leaving the exterior unaltered with the sole exception of a new key-pad operated mortice lock. Inside it will be a different matter however with a printer, scanner, water cooler, air freshener and (yes) a phone all squeezed inside.

In a statement MB said: “The concept of a public telephone box is now outdated as the majority of people own a mobile phone. The proposed new use maintains their iconic appearance but re-invents their use to suit the 21st century. The concept of adapting phone boxes to different uses has been adopted throughout the country with over 2000 to date adapted to varied uses.”

Occupants will have their own desk within the confined space which can be rented by the hour, a countdown clock indicating when the 1.2sq/m booth must be vacated.

Examples of re-use include a booth in Hexham which has been repurposed as an art gallery and a converted phonebox in Lewisham which now functions as a library.

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