Customer Encounters

Three case studies exploring the flexibility of contemporary workplaces, from an urban farming centre in Europe to an architecture studio working remotely across Southeast Asia. These encounters showcase the evolving ways in which distributed teams are redefining the relationship between work and location.

Last Lemon

Last Lemon is a creative studio founded by Lisa Swerling and Ralph Lazar. Born in South Africa, Swerling and Lazar have worked in London, Paris and Maui, and are the creators of ‘cartoon worlds’ that include ‘Harold’s Planet’ and ‘Totally out of Nowhere’. Now living in Marin County, California, the flexibility of remote work has enabled Last Lemon to continue projects with clients in Europe, while also expanding their artistic practice in response to their new environment.

Goy Architects

Goy Architects, founded in Singapore by Goy Zhenru in 2015, is an architecture studio focused on combining vernacular craftsmanship with modern, sustainable construction. The studio works across Southeast Asia, with its three partners – Dessy Anggadewi, Sam Loet and Goy Zhenru – working in Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore respectively. Goy Architects’ distributed team facilitates an architectural practice that is rooted in local knowledge but nourished through international exchange.

ECF Farmsystems

ECF Farmsystems is a flexible urban farming organisation that plans and constructs ‘turnkey’ aquaponic farming systems. Located in Schöneberg, Berlin, ECF have re-created a traditionally rural environment in one of the most densely populated cities in Europe. ECF’s proximity to Berlin’s retailers, alongside its innovative recirculation production systems, ensures an environmentally conscious supply chain from start to finish.