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The second book up for grabs is The American Skyscraper, a collection of wonderful photographs by Eric Mull of the 51 tallest buildings in the United States. The publisher was nice enough to send me a copy, too. Right now it’s sitting on an end table in my living room, and people seem to gravitate to it. (To be fair, the other options are Parents magazine and the 1997 Morris Knolls High School Yearbook.)
If you’re a fan of mental_floss, this book should be right up your alley. In addition to the photographs, Mull includes facts and figures about each skyscraper, and tells the stories about how and why they were built.
How can you win a copy? I’d like everyone to channel their inner architect and pretend you’re designing the new mental_floss world headquarters. Tell us one element your building would include – stand-up desks modeled after the ones used by Jeopardy! contestants? A room to honor the winners of the Golden Lobe Awards? Best suggestion wins the book (The American Skyscraper one, not the MK yearbook). Good luck!
Comments (107)
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I would design a building which has slides to go down to different floors. Wheeeeeeeeeee
posted by Pink Coat on 1-6-2009 at 5:24 pm
An enormous empty room with a geodesic dome ceiling (a la the hatch in Lost) with one lonely computer in the center and not much else. It represents the vast amounts of information we will never know, yet focuses on the main flow of all the information we can learn — the computer. Oh, and it looks pretty cool.
(recaptcha – 1894 nearer. Hmm… It doesn’t feel any closer than it did yesterday. As a matter of fact, it feels one day further away…)
posted by Josh on 1-6-2009 at 5:25 pm
The walls would have to be 100% transparent (I guess bathrooms could be the exception – but only stalls and urinals).
First, it would look awesome. But second, it would be representative of the clarity you bring to the lives of Flossy readers on a daily basis.
Third, it could also be indicative of where our government is (hopefully) headed, toward greater transparency. The more abundant and accessible information is, the more transparent our government becomes. You guys are great at finding and conveying information: a huge first step in creating a more responsible government.
posted by dannyO on 1-6-2009 at 5:29 pm
A running counter of hits (and minutes spent) during standard work hours (8am-5pm)
posted by PandorasTreasure on 1-6-2009 at 5:34 pm
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that there are a disproportionate amount of MF staffers who are left-handed (like me). Therefore I propose that the MF HQ be completely left-handed acessible. I’m talking left-handed coffee mugs, left-handed scissors, left-handed pens (that don’t smudge), left-handed computer mice and left-handed notebooks. And instead of greeting people by shaking right hands, anyone in the building would be required to shake left hands. Just a thought…
recaptcha: ballots learnt
posted by JP on 1-6-2009 at 5:38 pm
Busts along the walls, stairs, and beside each computer watching the writers. Included will be the traditional busts of Shakespeare and C.S. Lewis but also those of James Wright, silly puddy inventor, and Dance around the world Matt.
posted by Colette on 1-6-2009 at 5:39 pm
I would design a building that is totally self-reliant. My basic design would come from the Clamp building from Gremlins 2: self revolving doors, voice controlled elevators, daily tours from women wearing funny hats, and Microwave Marge (God bless Kathleen Freeman).
Nothing bad can come from a building that can thinks on it’s own…
posted by Alex on 1-6-2009 at 5:42 pm
Wow, is that Morris Knolls as in Rockaway, New Jersey?? I’m a proud 2000 grad from that school.
As for the challenge, each room/floor of the headquarters would be a different theme to represent all the topics covered by mental floss. The literature room/floor would have desks that look like books. There would also be murals, statues of various people, and miniature replicas of famous buildings.
posted by Kristin on 1-6-2009 at 5:42 pm
every vertical wall would be a bookcase and comfy chairs would litter the hallways. podcasts also available
posted by rla_2 on 1-6-2009 at 5:43 pm
It would include twice as much space as you need, and a cloning station for all your employees. Then you would alternate months so you could be a monthly magazine instead of a bi-monthly magazine!
posted by Witty Nickname on 1-6-2009 at 5:44 pm
how about a huge chain of plastic monkeys in a room for writing the Morning Cup of Links?
posted by Becky on 1-6-2009 at 5:48 pm
Recreate the set of the movie The Cube: Long, interlocking, booby trapped…
posted by JF on 1-6-2009 at 5:53 pm
Perhaps, very similar to Pink Coat’s comment (though I was more inspired by the now out- of -operation Angels Flight, click my name to see link) :
I would install a cart, designed to look like a packet of dental floss, that would allow employees/visitors/etc to amongst the building’s floors!
Stairs, elevators, and escalators are so mundane!
posted by Amy on 1-6-2009 at 5:59 pm
All doors within the office, including the stall doors in the bathroom, would resemble and open like the doors of a Delorean. The doors would be able to swing both ways, meaning you would always lift up when entering and exiting a room to avoid any unfortunate accidents.
posted by Jake on 1-6-2009 at 5:59 pm
All the windows would be shaped as the numerals 1 or 0. They would form a binary code image of crazy-faced Albert Einstein.
posted by Chelsea on 1-6-2009 at 6:00 pm
Vending machines in every office that take factoids instead of money.
posted by Kristyn on 1-6-2009 at 6:04 pm
The new mental_floss headquarters would be a series of tubes, like the internet.
posted by Breanne on 1-6-2009 at 6:06 pm
a bigger book shelf so you don’t have to give all your free books away. would also save you money on postage which you could use to buy pizza or bagels, but preferably pizza
posted by jason on 1-6-2009 at 6:09 pm
Elevator call buttons would be replaced with Jeopardy! signaling devices. Advanced buzzer skills would get you to your floor ahead of other workers.
posted by James on 1-6-2009 at 6:17 pm
The entrance to the building would be the famous picture of Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out. but his tongue would only come out to let people in the door.
posted by Chris on 1-6-2009 at 6:19 pm
sorry. I didn’t word it right.
The entrance would be the famous picture of Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out but to get in people would have to walk into Albert’s mouth
posted by Chris on 1-6-2009 at 6:20 pm
Easy–a complete library of all Mental Floss magazines and books in each bathroom.
posted by erak on 1-6-2009 at 6:21 pm
IF i designed the new Mental Floss building, the stand out feature of the building would be a series of tickers running up and down the building giving random facts from the Amazing Facts Generator and news offbeat news from any of the 24 hour news stations.
posted by charles on 1-6-2009 at 6:30 pm
i would make planters inside of every window, all the way up to the 110th floor, that would grow edible food.
posted by Tom Shubnell on 1-6-2009 at 6:38 pm
-From the outside, the building would appear to be a giant sculpture of Albert Einstein’s head.
-The actual shape of the head would be a sort of geodesic dome.
-Solar panels and wind turbines could be arranged atop the head to give the illusion of hair (& be used as a power source, obviously).
-The primary entrance would be through the “mouth” with his beautiful moustache acting as an awning. Side entrances would be through the ears.
-The eyes would be to giant windows found in the break rooms/cafeterias of the building.
-Of course, the main conference room/idea room would be where Einstein’s brain would be located. Quite literally, the “Think Tank”.
-Combining science and art, and being an homage to our hero, this building would be the architectural representation of mental_floss.
posted by Mike on 1-6-2009 at 6:44 pm
I think there should be a room with all its walls covered in Post-Its (Ahem, sticky notes). You could write notes/story ideas/random facts/friendly hellos on them, and switch out the colors used every once in a while.
posted by Eileen on 1-6-2009 at 6:46 pm
How about a gallery of Madame Tussaud-esque wax figures sporting each mental_floss t-shirt design? The figures could be some of the famous/infamous characters chronicled by the _floss. :)
posted by Danita on 1-6-2009 at 6:51 pm
All forms of communication in the building should be through tin cans connected to string.
Or, every room must be a “whispering gallery” (an ellipsoid) like you find in science museums. (It’s the room where you whisper into a dish on one side of the room and your voice is heard around 20 feet away on the other side of the room. It’s awesome!)
posted by Mike on 1-6-2009 at 7:00 pm
A place to relax, unwind, and take a refreshing catnap. Like the Tokyo capsule hotels. Catnaps stimulate the brain!
posted by Miss Priss on 1-6-2009 at 7:13 pm
The directory in the lobby is a series of brain teasers. Solve the problem, get the office number. Introverted or busy? Make yours hard. Love people? Make it easy.
posted by TJ Hooker on 1-6-2009 at 7:13 pm
I would make the basement 2 levels of library for research and sheer joy.
posted by Librarianhawk on 1-6-2009 at 7:37 pm
Make the whole thing a Kevlar bounce house, but with electricity and extra walls.
posted by Isaac on 1-6-2009 at 7:37 pm
made of chocolate
posted by will on 1-6-2009 at 7:44 pm
Two words, flossers:
Water. Slide.
Although I agree with JP about all the left handed stuff. So maybe a left handed water slide?
posted by Caitlin on 1-6-2009 at 8:00 pm
I would definitely design a huge room for a library, with room for heaps and heaps of books – old texts, encyclopedias, etc. And perhaps a webcam so that we Flossers can watch you researching?
posted by Dawn on 1-6-2009 at 8:14 pm
First, it should be a “green” building: Moss on the roof, east/west facing windows, geothermal heating, LED lighting.
All chairs will either be beanbag chairs or inflatable chairs. No cube farms at all but glass offices with blinds and huge amount of open space for office nerf wars. Bike racks, showers and lockers avialable for alternate communting. Outside in the atrium is a brain hovering on a strand of dental floss and inside the central atrium is a giant book made of multi-touch screens and whiteboards for placing of ideas, comments and general thoughts.
posted by Andy on 1-6-2009 at 8:16 pm
I think that the mental_floss world headquarters should be inspired by an M.C. Escher piece, like House of Stairs, for example. You are smart people; I am sure you will find a way to make this work.
posted by Jillian on 1-6-2009 at 8:39 pm
All hallway floors should be made from the stuff Stretch-Armstrong was. That would be fun to walk on.
The implement of choice would be a teletransporter able to bring people or things from the past in for an interview or close inspection.
posted by Jim on 1-6-2009 at 8:44 pm
the outside of the building would take a lot from roman architecture to give a feeling that this is a great place of knowledge. grand pillars outside the main entrance. but it would be glass materials so the inside space would be more airy and spacious. even the friezes outside would be glass. The glass would not be completely transparent. it would have rich color, found in abalone marbled on the inside.
once you get into the revolving doors, the main lobby would be huge, a receptionist in the middle behind a desk that is abalone coloring so that it would blend with the glass and background colors of the lobby, vibrant blues, purples, terracotta colors with hints of teal greens.
In the lobby, there would be free standing polls with flat screens that would be broadcasting the different articles on the site for the day. new ones would take place of the oldest. that way visitors could keep in touch with the site.
on one side of the receptionist desk would be a hall of fame for mental floss…pics of caption contests, popular articles, etc. the other side of the bottom floor would have a cafe. the tables would be those ones with tv’s attached so customers could participate in the daily lunch quizzes.
from the front lobby there would a grand staircase, a curved escalator that would go to offices. from the second floor there would be another curved escalator that would take visitors to a large outdoor patio that would over look the outside grounds.
from the sky, the building would look like a giant fountain in a park….
a bit grand, but it would be cool. :)
posted by Mindy on 1-6-2009 at 8:49 pm
Free deodorant in the bathrooms! (just in case)
posted by Aaron on 1-6-2009 at 8:54 pm
The entire building would be made of LED type screens (inside and out) so that the appearance could constantly change. Employees could change the appearances inside the individual offices to make it feel like they were sitting in a park or on a beach. The outside could be a giant image of the Empire State Building during May (the month it officially opened) or the Space Needle to commemorate the World’s Fair.
posted by Holly on 1-6-2009 at 8:59 pm
Somewhere there has to be a life-size, full-working replica of the Tardis. Perhaps with a matching Dalek?
posted by Shannon on 1-6-2009 at 9:06 pm
It would include all the green stuff I could think off….gardens on the roof to start with
posted by Aimee on 1-6-2009 at 9:07 pm
Dance Dance Revolution in the break room. And not the cheesy at-home floor mat versions. This would be the real deal. With contests. And prizes.
posted by k. on 1-6-2009 at 9:08 pm
Nothing spells stress reliever and duldrom breaker like a mechanical bull. Smack in the middle of the break room. Build a stand up bar/table around it like a coral. That way people can eat while they watch/participate. You could even have a rodeo championship. How sweet would that be ?
posted by Rob on 1-6-2009 at 9:30 pm
All doors are also bookshelves
But not all bookshelves are doors
Also, there must be at least one secret room.
posted by Mel on 1-6-2009 at 9:45 pm
There’s only one answer to this: the element of SURPRISE! Seriously, you’d walk into every room and there would be some weird trick to it that would make you wonder. One room would have all the furniture glued to the ceiling. In another, there would be safety pins stuck in every available surface. etc etc
posted by Liz on 1-6-2009 at 9:48 pm
I would design a building with an after hours spa, including a hot tub for eight, a nice skylight over the hot tub for sunlight, beautiful lush greens and a juice bar.
posted by Lynne on 1-6-2009 at 10:00 pm
I think that all the walls (the ones that aren’t bookshelves, of course) should be interactive Smart Boards. I just got one in my classroom, and my kids and I have had super fun drawing mustachios and funny hats on pictures of people.
posted by Keri on 1-6-2009 at 10:01 pm
Instead of entry badges, staff would have to complete various puzzles in order to pass through the doors.
posted by monica on 1-6-2009 at 10:22 pm
I am going to do a complete 360 on this topic and say that the mental-floss headquarters shouldn’t be in a building at all. Rather, Mental_floss should maintain its mystique and powerful influence on the minds of the world by traveling the world, setting up classical greek styled rhetorical debates and “schools” in parks, fields, playgrounds, stadiums . . . anywhere people congregate to share, spread, decimate ideas and viral messages that will resonate amongst the populace. What better way of avoiding the same old, same old traditional way of conducting business and truly getting to the people than by shunning the contemporary, stodgy building aesthetic and mind numbing populist belief that all business needs to be conducted in a building. Come out, enjoy the fresh air and bring your message to the people!
Oh, and it would be nice to have the book on skyscrapers for our Grade 3 unit on building!
Thanks
Ian
posted by Ian Hancock on 1-6-2009 at 10:41 pm
Everything should be pop-up. When you open your office door (or walk up to your cubicle), a tab will make your desks and cabinets pop up. Flip open your desk top, and your computer, inbox, and phone pop up. Need extra room to stretch your legs? Close the bookcase pop-up behind you! And think how much easier it will be for the maintenance staff to vacuum. Surely that will save energy!
posted by Nic on 1-6-2009 at 10:42 pm
I think the world needs a flossy research center, devoted to the discovery and sharing of all things quirky, odd, and/or generally interesting.
Like any good center, it will include a museum. I’m thinking something that’s part Exploratorium, part Ripley’s, part Encarta’s MindMaze. Possibly an actual giant puzzle maze will be included, requiring the completion of a Lunchtime Quiz or Brain Game before visitors can move on to the next flossy exhibit.
So that takes care of the first floor. Floors 2 through however-many-are-needed will be where the magic happens. This should be a completely open floor plan, allowing everyone to customize their own work space with whatever best contributes to their research specialty, from a collection of feel-able artwork to a desk-size theater for TV-holics.
posted by Kathryn on 1-6-2009 at 10:43 pm
I would take the inspiration for the inside of the building from a fantastic outside. The new(ish) addition to the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto (there are some great google images) has always struck me as a VERY flossy building. One absolute requirement of the interior design would be a massive library. You should never have to give books away because you have run out of space; you should do it because it makes you a better person.
posted by Worrals on 1-6-2009 at 11:00 pm
The MF Building would be 3.14 stories high. Each floor, or fraction of a floor, would be a large open break room, surrounded by tiny 6′ x 4′ George Constanza offices. Which, of course, would house 2 employees…
posted by Jim B on 1-6-2009 at 11:32 pm
Levels. Like from Kramer’s dream apartment. The whole building would be in levels…..
posted by Ash on 1-7-2009 at 12:08 am
I think for the world headquarters, you have to focus on the little things. So, if I were designing it, I would make sure that everyone’s business card was actually a Trivial Pursuit question card, with their name, title, email, phone number, and other information as the answers to the six questions.
posted by Mark C. on 1-7-2009 at 12:28 am
My number one suggestion? I’d borrow from William Pene Du Bois’ The 21 Balloons, and have all chairs and tables recess into the floor, rising like speedy mushrooms at the start of the workday. Easy to clean! Fun to watch!
Ceilings that open to the stars, with a telescope. And a must would be voice activated computers (voice of Majel Barrett, natch) so that staff could yell out a name and the word definition, and the computer would respond . We have this in my cube farm -someone will yell out a word, a spelling, or a turn of phrase, and all my fellow prairie dogs will give their two cents’ worth.
Of course, bookshelves, but who has time to look things up in a book? I’m a library technician, and I rarely do that – it’s all Internet. One thing – a huge, round desk with a juried reference book collection, including the Mental Floss History of the World, is a must for the Main Office.
posted by Marion on 1-7-2009 at 12:49 am
How about one section to be decorated in the style of that hallowed institute which matriculated Flossy Founders/Managing Editor William E. Pearson,Mangesh Hattikudur , and Jason English…
UNC!
Just kidding guys, I know it’s DUKE! ;-)
posted by Amy on 1-7-2009 at 12:52 am
There are many good ideas listed above especially making the building green. However, anyone who watches Dr. Who knows that what a work place really needs is a DOG. A cyber-dog, one that will greet the employees as the come in, roves the corridors and rooms, play fetch and just brighten everyone’s day. It could even ask trivia questions of the writers and other staff, keep everyone on their toes.
posted by Owen on 1-7-2009 at 1:03 am
The exterior of the building could be done up in millions of LED lights, allowing the appearance to change at will depending on current events, holidays, or mental_floss themes. Of course, this would probably reduce the amount of windows available to those inside, but it could force some really creative interior decorating choices to make up for it.
posted by Allie on 1-7-2009 at 4:34 am
Water water everywhere. A massive, one floored, building. Instead of halls and rooms there would be islands and water. Get from island to island either via boat (everyone has their own) or bridge. Islands are customizable; create your own version of paradise!
posted by Joanna on 1-7-2009 at 5:15 am
In my Mental Floss building, you would have to fill in a recaptcha to open the restroom doors. Muahahah, you think you can skive off work by going to the bathroom, but I foil your evil plans!
posted by Julie on 1-7-2009 at 7:13 am
A few things. Entrance to each room requires you to complete different Lunch Time Quiz at, let’s say, no less than 95% accuracy.
The only form of transportation throughout the office? Riding on the back of a Monkey, riding on a Segway.
posted by Michael on 1-7-2009 at 7:57 am
I would install a networked touch-screen monitor in each bathroom stall for easy trivia browsing while nature calls.
posted by Jess on 1-7-2009 at 8:20 am
A candy floss machine!
posted by Anne on 1-7-2009 at 8:26 am
re: Stretch Armstrong
My siblings and I poked a hole in our little brother’s Stretch. He seemed to be filled with pink corn syrup. Yes, we tasted to make sure. And of course we poked him in the butt so he’d be a little more anatomically correct.
posted by Stretch on 1-7-2009 at 8:29 am
A special break room with a giant replica of a brain that doubles as a spongey moonwalk (for moments of writers block, holiday parties and slow mondays).
posted by Melanie on 1-7-2009 at 8:38 am
how appropriate, since for my first attempt to win Dry Manhattan was all about traveling the country to visit the most significant historical buildings… but never seemed to get published.
first, there would be retail space on the bottom that would include restaurants, a toy store, and some electronics retailer, and a variety of specialty shops to keep the Mental Floss employees happy.
The Mental Floss offices would encompass the top three floors of this modern 80 story skyscraper. It would be sheathed with an aluminum-alloy material and have narrow windows to give it that classic look. It would also have plenty of cantilevered balconies to take in the views from above.
Of course each employee needs there own space to work and rather that include the traditional, drab cubical farm like most employers, I’d take it a step farther. Each employee has a 10×15 space with a cubicle designed to look like a house… complete with four walls, roof, and functioning windows and doors.
Each employee gets to decide the architectural style of their house and can decorate it to match their personalities. Mine would be a craftsman style with french entry doors.
Anyway, in honor of the traditional office and it’s water cooler, there would be a room dedicated to it. I’d put the water cooler in the middle of the space and surround it with couches, chairs, and bean bags, so that everyone would have a place to sit while they shared the latest work related gossip.
To cap it all off, what employee wants to be shackled to their desk, even if it is in a residential-like cubicle? Laptops for everyone with Wifi through out the building with a game room to blow off some steam whenever you feel the need.
posted by Dan on 1-7-2009 at 8:41 am
Sand floors, straw/bamboo work station, import palm trees . . . daquiri blender in breakroom. Aaaaah.
Would you even need vacation days?
posted by Brian on 1-7-2009 at 8:56 am
No matter what it looks like it has to have Chimps on Segways as inter-office couriers.
posted by Don on 1-7-2009 at 9:11 am
Dawn, trust me… you don’t want a Webcam watching us research. You really, really don’t. :)
posted by Sandy on 1-7-2009 at 9:33 am
Four words: Willy Wonka’s Bubble Room
(without the killer fan).
Okay, that was technically eight words, but you get the drift.
posted by Shelly on 1-7-2009 at 9:35 am
Hidden doors and secret passageways. Definitely.
posted by Megan on 1-7-2009 at 9:40 am
I would get everyone an individual rest room with deluxe potty/bidet/shower (not a combo though- that would be gross) flat screen tv, lots of cool reading material, internet, and a mini dressing area with a lounge sofa and mini fridge fully stocked so you could power nap(power loaf) at will.
posted by qt314159265 on 1-7-2009 at 9:45 am
How about an exhibit of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient mental_floss World. Have sculptures of each, but _floss it up by superimposing Einstein’s head on everything. So you might have the Speed of Lighthouse at Alexandria, the Colossus of Relativity, or maybe the Photoelectric Gardens at Babylon. The possibilities are endless…well there’s at least seven, I’m sure…
posted by Kevin H on 1-7-2009 at 10:04 am
Here’s another… have a room demonstrating the infinite monkey theorem, monkeys included. And a room w/ ninjas training, like in Wayne’s World.
posted by Kevin H on 1-7-2009 at 10:13 am
A restroom with “Think Tank” printed on the stall, and “Bad Ideas” printed inside the toilet bowel.
posted by Tom Hoffmann on 1-7-2009 at 10:27 am
Floss dispensers shaped like brains in every bathroom. The dentists will love it.
posted by David on 1-7-2009 at 10:35 am
The entire building would be a giant Mobius strip. And Klein Bottles in the cafeteria, too.
posted by Eric Y. on 1-7-2009 at 10:39 am
The conference room will be a gigantic ball pit.
posted by Dean P on 1-7-2009 at 10:47 am
a hall of honor/reflection featuring painted portraites of all darwin award winners past to present.
posted by suzanne on 1-7-2009 at 10:52 am
I would paint everything with bright, bold colors to enhance creativity and have lots of windows to let in the healthy natural light for the vitamin D. Then everything would be furnished in soft, comfy furniture and carpeted in soft foam puzzle peices so that in case anyone falls, they don’t get hurt.
Wait a minute. I think I’m just describing my son’s daycare… Oh well, it works on so many levels.
posted by Kendyl on 1-7-2009 at 10:59 am
i would make sure there was a mandatory jammies day. not naughty jammies, but since i had a REALLY hard time getting out of my really comfy jammie pants and sweatshirt this morning, it’d be nice.
reCaptcha: outrage patrons
maybe mine’s not a very good idea? :-)
posted by mri on 1-7-2009 at 11:01 am
The building should be designed in the combined styles of Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz, IT featured in A Wrinkle in Time, and The Ministry of Truth from 1984.
At least that’s what I think of when hearing the phrase “world headquarters.”
And my reCAPTCHA is “of pudding,” which has got to be significant!
posted by Gretchen on 1-7-2009 at 11:06 am
soft bean bag chairs with the likeness of great thinkers in history on them to hug the sitter cradling them in their intelligence and warm
posted by ADELE on 1-7-2009 at 11:08 am
It’d be a gigantic coffee shop with wifi.
posted by BassMan on 1-7-2009 at 11:22 am
I would have a room with a giant walk through head. That way employees during their break could walk through the head from ear to ear and be literal “mental floss”.
For a more fun design, you could have the head be tilted and slide through the head from ear to ear.
posted by Melanie Feller on 1-7-2009 at 11:45 am
The HQ would be a cylindrical building. There would be no floors just a continuous grade like a parking garage. To travel up there would be people movers like in airports. Multiple tracks would be laid toward the center of the building with the tracks moving slower on the outside, faster in the middle. The people movers idea is based off the transit system in “Caves of Steel” by Isaac Asimov. Around the outside would be a moat and a drawbridge. The moat would have a gentle stream and double as a lazy river. My only concern with this building is that if someone release a few hundred bouncy balls at the top of the building the casualties would be devastating.
posted by EdLu on 1-7-2009 at 12:08 pm
I would have the design of the building include all kinds of little areas for flossy-ness, because nothing is as important as good mental hygiene.
posted by Becky Bennett on 1-7-2009 at 12:12 pm
To enter the building from the parking lot, you would need to ride the boat from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory complete with a character reciting the lines and going through the tunnel. That would wake you up in the morning.
posted by Anthony on 1-7-2009 at 12:44 pm
A teleporter.
The whole driving to work thing is a real drag, bad for the environment, and an inefficient use of time.
Using a teleporter would solve all of this.
posted by allen on 1-7-2009 at 12:51 pm
all the doorknobs would be shaped like brains.
also, tons of aquariums filled with the weirdest fish in the world.
posted by linda on 1-7-2009 at 12:51 pm
A Lunchtime Quiz lunchroom which promotes the feeding of the mind AND the feeding of the tummy!
The first correct answer would get you in the room and the last correct answer would get you out of it.
posted by carolyn on 1-7-2009 at 1:17 pm
One element it would include? How about carbon?
posted by Scott-O on 1-7-2009 at 1:18 pm
The new headquarters must be built completely underground.
Lets face it, Y’all know every thing about everything ABOVE GROUND so perhaps you would get even more trivia underground!
posted by olal on 1-7-2009 at 1:21 pm
Sorry- tried to stop the first “send” above before it got through.
One element it would include? How about carbon… In the form of a “Bucky Ball” pit… You get R. Buckminster Fuller architecture AND a fun time in a single plop.
posted by Scott-) on 1-7-2009 at 1:24 pm
Sorry- experienceing technical problems here… fourth attempt to update my entry below.
One element it would include? How about carbon… In the form of a “Bucky Ball” pit… You get R. Buckminster Fuller architecture AND a fun time in a single plop.
posted by Scott-O on 1-7-2009 at 1:25 pm
2 things: Floor tiles that give off a sound/light combination when they are walked across, and an intercom system with the voice of HAL 9000. I would enjoy being called into the bosses office if these are the things I had to look forward to.
posted by Brian S. on 1-7-2009 at 1:43 pm
Three words…Room of Requirement! It turns into whatever you need at that moment. If Harry potter has it, it must be good.
posted by pamela on 1-7-2009 at 2:34 pm
It would include what every self-respecting skyscraper requires: blimp-docking facilities.
posted by Peter D. on 1-7-2009 at 2:38 pm
Instead of elevators, giant pneumatic tube-like devices that would allow the floss staff to float up and down from one floor to another, and in the event of a fire – a fireman’s pole (with friction added in parts to prevent the sliding from gaining too much velocity).
posted by Patrick C. on 1-7-2009 at 2:39 pm
The entire building would be a series of Rube Goldberg devices. Smaller ones for small jobs like making copies or turning on one’s computer. Medium sized ones for elevators and lighting, etc. And one huge device housed in a transparent box in the lobby to enter the building. You’d have to stand at the enterance and wait for the process to finish before you could enter the building. Might be a fire hazard on the exit, but at least it would be interesting.
posted by Sean O. on 1-7-2009 at 3:12 pm
I would turn Mental Floss headquarters into a panopticon and require all computer monitors face center. This way no one can pretend to be doing work while they’re really just looking at porn (like my boss).
posted by Liz on 1-7-2009 at 3:20 pm
One word: panopticon. All computer monitors must be facing center to ensure that employees aren’t looking at porn instead of working.
posted by Liz on 1-7-2009 at 3:48 pm
One word: panopticon. All computer monitors must be facing center to ensure that employees aren’t looking at porn instead of working.
Apologies if this posts more than once. I’m having technical problems.
posted by Liz on 1-7-2009 at 4:32 pm
The one element I would include: hydrogen.
It would be tough to build anything without hydrogen.
posted by Tom on 1-8-2009 at 12:15 pm