The Opposite of Skateshop Aesthetic

For my Upcycle project, I am designing an iPad holder that fits in the skateshop aesthetic. I go into detail about this aesthetic in my previous post, but to summarize, the skateshop aesthetic has the following traits:

• Graffiti style graphics
• Colorful
• Equipment focused (decks, trucks, wheels, stickers)
• Lots of exposed wood
• Hats and Hoodies
• Loose fitting clothing

Really if something looks like it belongs in a skateshop it probably fits into the skateshop aesthetic. It was tough to think of an opposite aesthetic, but I believe the corporate office aesthetic is the most different. This aesthetic could be summarized by anything that looks like it belongs in a corporate office. This includes objects that have the following characteristics.

• Clean
• Polished
• Organized
• Neutral colors
• Office equipment (computers, desks, chairs, Cubicles)
• Bright fluorescent lighting

I found some images that I believe reflect this aesthetic. Over time this aesthetic has transformed a little as designers are trying to make work environments more positive and comfortable, but the images below reflect the corporate office aesthetic that I am picturing.

Meridian Design’s NY Corporate Office Design [1]

DECOR Nigeria Office Design [2]

I also asked some AI image generators to create images that reflect the corporate office aesthetic and I am really impressed by what they came up with. These images definitely match what I think of as the corporate office aesthetic.

Koala AI rendering of the corporate office aesthetic [3]

FY! Studio AI rendering of the corporate office aesthetic [4]

I have thought about ways that I could style my project so that it fits into the corporate office aesthetic. First off, the concept of an iPad holder fits perfectly into this aesthetic, but I would have to do a lot of work with the materials I have chosen to make them fit into the aesthetic. I do not see how I would be able to use the wheels or trucks in the design, but the deck could definitely be used. Below I have sketched a possible design using the skateboard deck. 

I would only use the center section of the board, since the nose and tail make it obvious the piece was made from a skateboard and skateboards do not really fit into the corporate office aesthetic. One thing that is hard to convey in the sketch is the finish I would put on the wood. Instead of covering it in stickers like I am doing for my project, I instead would have to sand it down and polish it using a polyurethane wood finish. Since I am using a used skateboard deck, I would also have to clean up the edges of the board. The design would be simple, clean, functional, and fit perfectly into a corporate office.

Citations:

[1] Meridian Design, New York, NY, Corporate Client’s NY Office, 2020

     Website: https://meridiandesign.com/projects/nyc-corporate-offices

[2] Decor Nigeria, Ikoyi Office Design

     Website: https://www.decor.ng/portfolio/office-design-ikoyi/ 

[3] Koala AI

     Website: https://koala.sh/chat?q=/dream%20corporate%20office%20aesthetic 

[4] FY! Studio, Prints, Prompt: corporate office aesthetic            

     Website: https://www.iamfy.co/studio/product/corporate-office–portrait-art-print–65c7c538-8822-4724-aea3-1a2b91bcdc5e