In the UK, allotments can have sheds. Allotments are public fields that you can rent a plot on for not too much money to grow food. They are often near railways, just below the embankments. They date from when terraced houses did not have any yard space. Some are very popular with waiting lists, some less so.

I go past a shed on an allotment each day that is built from old doors. The long walls are five doors, and the short walls are three doors. They are nailed to fairly substantial planks top and bottom, and there is a tarpaper style roof. One of the doors is actually mounted on hinges so is the actual door. The owner has used half glazed doors so the interior must have fantastic light. I'd imagine there must be some kind of floor rather than just earth.

I wonder if there is a business idea in this? There are a lot of writers in NYC. So you buy a warehouse, and divide the space up into really small, sound-proof rooms. Charge customers $250 a month to rent the space.

Just have to make sure customers are not sleeping in the room.

Love it. I wanted to do this in Singapore. There are lots of co-working spaces but they're all so damn social, and what I really want is solitude.

I thought it'd be great to make a co-working space called "Solitude" with lots of little 1-person rooms, and make it clear to any new customers that we're not here to chat and hang out.

But alas it seemed that not many people were into this idea, and Singapore is so insanely expensive that it makes more sense to just find a quiet place at the library or something.

Yea the threat of free substitutes is really strong. Plus prices of real estate in NYC and Singapore are insanely expensive.

Where are you based now?

Still in Singapore. Rented a private office at http://smartspace.sg/

dang, i was just there! Next time I'm in town let me pitch you?

Add a cafe in a central location but out of earshot of the rooms, and some open space with a few seats, and you'll be minted.

I'd need a daylight source somewhere!

Except the view won't be quite as lovely as from those garden sheds.