StyleMyCube

We thought it would be interesting to dig up some history on the workplace dungeon cubicle and see how it has evolved over the years. Like all of us, the cubicle has sure grown up over the years. Hope you enjoy the read….

 

The cubicle creator - Inventor Robert Propst set out to revolutionize the American office. He succeeded with his 1968 design for furniture manufacture Herman Miller called Action Office. While his intention, outlined clearly in his book, “The Office: A Facility Based on Change,” was to create a more dynamic and flexible workspace, his invention inadvertently paved the way for today’s cubicle culture. Propst, who passed away in 2000, ran Herman Miller’s research division for many years and helped the company evolve from an upscale home furnishing manufacturer into one of the nation’s leading industrial design firms.

 

1965 – First Try In 1964, Propst and architect George Nelson unveiled an early prototype of Action Office. The concept, a set of freestanding units intended to act as room dividers in large, open office spaces, didn’t catch on. But Propst refused to give up and used this first attempt, with its frost file bin and slanted vinyl desktop as a building block for what would eventually become Action Office.

 

1969 – First commercial installation Propst continued to search for a modern and flexible workplace design. Four years after Action Office 1 was released, Propst and Herman Miller unveiled the second iteration of the design. The new version combined a desk, cabinets, and various components into one system, making it the first open-plan modular unit in the country. Propst’s new design promised to increase employee productivity and improve working conditions for mid-level employees. The 1968 release was well received, helping Herman Miller reach $25 million in corporate sales over the next two years. The American workplace would never be the same. Over the next three decades, the flexible panel system evolved into the modern day cubicle.

 

1978 – Sea of sameness As Action Office evolved with the times, Herman Miller was also expanding its portfolio. In this image, the Action Office is accompanied by an Ergon chair, the company’s first foray into ergonomic seating. The famed Aeron chair came to market 16 years later in 1994.

 

1985 – A new look In 1985, Action Office is named “The Most Significant Design” since 1960 by the Worldesign Congress. A few years later, with the help of Jack Kelley, an inventor credited with designing the first mouse pad, Herman Miller’s research team releases Action Office Encore. The company later renames it Action Office Series 2.

 

1988 – Into the Ethospace In 1984, Herman Miller introduces the Equa chair, the Eames sofa, and the Ethospace system, a workstation that promises to add more flexibility to the conventional options already on the market. Designed by Bill Stumpf, creator of the Ergon and Aeron chair, and Jack Kelley, the Ethospace is intended to evolve with the rapidly changing pace of technology and to provide a better space for workers to collaborate. Herman Miller later adds support cabinets that can either stand alone or attach to the system. The additional space provides more room for employee files and their winter coats.

 

1992 – Ethospace in place The Ethospace System installed at Moog Instruments office in Clearwater, Florida. Since I’m sure you’re wondering, Ethos in Greek means “accustomed place”. The Ethospace system is (and still is a concept) that is able to respond to demands for traditional-looking environments, as well as for solutions that promote community, support new kinds of work, and handle sophisticated technology. Such versatility makes Ethospace a comprehensive system–one that can define and refine a space in the most effective way.

 

1999 – Getting out of the boxIn an attempt to divert the cube from its maze-like evolution, Herman Miller unveils Resolve. The new design, built around “organic,” 120-degree corners, is shown here with “Caper” chairs in Herman Miller’s Chicago showroom. The goal for designer Ayse Birsel was to create a space that supported knowledge workers and incorporated newer and lighter technology. In 2001, Resolve was added to New York’s Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.

 

2001 – Aeron-izing Herman Miller reinvents Ethospace in 2001. Stumpf and designer Jeff Weber tweak the older model and create what is intended to be an “Aeronized” version of the system, adding more light and transparency to the design. This second take of Ethospace continued to incorporate group space, much to the demise of company’s cost cutters.

 

2004 – A move away from the cube As desktop computers shed pounds, so does the workspace. Here in Herman Miller’s 2004 Abak system, the design house moves away from the cube and returns to a more open desk system with lower walls. Time to pack the workers in and say goodbye to privacy!

 

So what did we learn, well Robert Propst invented the cubicle, however before he died in 2000, he lamented his unwitting contribution to what he called “monolithic insanity.” Moreover, more than 3 decades after Probst unleashed the cubicle on the world, we are still trying to get out of the box. Talk about Irony….One thing is for sure, whatever the cubicle has lacked in beauty and amenity, it has made up for in crabgrass-like persistence. This beds the question, will it always be with us? The answer is probably yes, though in recent years some have made attempts to dethrone the cubicle’s dominance. There are a lot of articles out there of individuals and organizations starting to
chart productive and economical ways to escape its tyranny, however the cubicle business is 3billion/year and growing, so I think it’s pretty safe to say don’t expect any changes anytime soon!

This entry was posted on Monday, October 27th, 2008 at 9:43 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.