Cubed Summary

Why does your workplace look the way it does? Understanding the evolution of offices could change how we think about the spaces we spend most of our lives in.

1. Industrialization Transformed Office Work and Created the Clerk Role

Industrialization in the mid-1800s reshaped the work landscape, birthing the need for administrative roles like clerks. Before this period, such roles were hardly required. As industrial systems expanded, tracking invoices, managing bills, and organizing transactional records became essential tasks, leading to the rise of clerks as a distinct group of workers.

Initially, clerks shared cramped, dimly-lit spaces with their bosses in settings referred to as "counting houses." These were basic rooms that lacked comfort or adequate lighting, often devoid of windows. Despite their cramped quarters, clerks played key roles in managing businesses during this era. The proximity between clerks and their bosses fostered closer relationships, often creating mentorship bonds.

By 1855, the number of clerks in New York City had surged, making them the third-largest workforce group. This boom in clerical roles necessitated structural shifts in workspaces. Soon, businesses began physically separating clerks from manual laborers, establishing dedicated office spaces downtown or distinct entrances within shared premises.

Examples

• Clerks occupied dark "counting houses" alongside their supervisors.
• New York's clerical workforce ballooned to become the third-largest group by 1855.
• Businesses began separating office spaces for clerks from factories' manual labor areas.

2. Technological Advances Fueled Workplace Expansion and Chaos

From 1860 to 1920, businesses grew rapidly, thanks to innovations like the railroad and the telegraph. These technologies connected markets and information over vast distances, allowing businesses to scale at unprecedented speeds. This scaling up led to a significant increase in office jobs.

With more clerks, typists, and messengers being employed, workspaces became overcrowded and chaotic. Vast offices filled with rows of workers seemed reminiscent of factories. Amidst this disorder, defining responsibilities and organizing workflows became a challenge.

American engineer Frederick Taylor introduced a system called Taylorism to address these problems. By dividing work into specific, repeated tasks and measuring efficiency, Taylorism brought clarity and productivity to previously disordered offices. This system became an essential tool for mass production and laid the groundwork for modern management practices.

Examples

• Railroads expanded business reach, necessitating more logistics-related roles.
• "Taylorism" streamlined work by task specialization and efficiency measurement.
• Overcrowded offices with rows of desks resembled factory lines, creating disorganized workflows.

3. Skyscrapers Revolutionized Office Space and Worker Perception

The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw the advent of skyscrapers, reshaping cities while stacking workplaces vertically. These towering structures represented ambition and innovation, particularly in urban centers like New York and Chicago.

While the exterior designs of skyscrapers were impressive and symbols of modernity, the internal office spaces didn’t quite match this grandeur. To differentiate office workers from factory laborers, companies introduced amenities such as libraries, dentists, and barbershops within these buildings. These perks created a sense of status and comfort for the "white-collar" workers.

This division between factory and office work wasn’t just symbolic. It stemmed from growing tensions during labor movements. The infamous 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, where labor unrest culminated in a bomb explosion, further motivated businesses to physically and socially separate their clerical employees from manual workers.

Examples

• Early skyscrapers included amenities like barbershops to attract office workers.
• Chicago and New York became centers of skyscraper construction, signaling business growth.
• The 1886 Haymarket affair amplified the social divide between manual and office laborers.

4. Post-World War II Europe Promoted New Approaches to Office Design

After World War II left European cities devastated, the continent attempted to reimagine workplaces. German designers Wolfgang and Eberhard Schnelle proposed a new office architecture concept called "Bürolandschaft," or "office landscape."

This design prioritized human interaction and adaptability over rigid, task-oriented layouts. The Schnelle brothers utilized factors such as communication flow and privacy needs to map workplaces that felt more organic. This approach aimed to foster collaboration and productivity through carefully planned spatial arrangements.

The office landscape concept spread quickly, becoming a benchmark for progressive office design in Europe. It also traveled globally, influencing modern designs in Sweden, England, and the US as businesses sought open, adaptable spaces.

Examples

• Bürolandschaft embraced flow and functionality rather than strict hierarchies.
• Post-war Germany became a testing ground for new office layouts.
• Swedish firms adopted the organic layout due to its harmonious design principles.

5. Open Office Design Raised Noise and Privacy Concerns

During the 1960s, open-plan offices created their own complications, notably excessive noise. To address this issue, companies experimented with sound screens and dividers. These solutions were only partially effective and often became status symbols, reserved for higher-level employees.

The lack of privacy and constant auditory distractions in open offices made them less ideal for productivity. While intended to foster collaboration, these layouts often proved overwhelming for workers who needed to focus on detailed tasks.

Such challenges sparked a gradual search for balance between openness and individual workspaces, eventually influencing furniture designs and layout strategies, such as adding acoustic panels or semi-private zones.

Examples

• Noise-absorbing screens were deployed unevenly, often favoring executives.
• Open-plan offices led to auditory distractions, making concentration difficult.
• Ringing phones or loud conversations made productivity a challenge.

6. The Emergence of the Action Office Promoted Movement at Work

In the late 1950s, Robert Propst pushed for innovative office layouts through the Action Office concept, developed in collaboration with the Herman Miller Furniture Company. Propst advocated for ergonomic spaces that allowed movement and adapted to different needs.

The Action Office integrated features like adjustable desk heights, modular walls, and standing desks. By recognizing that physical environments impact mental work, this design promoted systems that encouraged both sitting and standing during the workday.

Although revolutionary, the Action Office was costly to implement, ultimately limiting its widespread adoption. This set the stage for cheaper but less dynamic solutions.

Examples

• Propst designed modular furniture to encourage movement during work hours.
• The Action Office included standing-friendly zones to reduce sitting stagnation.
• High costs curtailed its acceptance despite its innovative nature.

7. The Practicality of the Cubicle Triumphed Over Idealism

As companies sought low-cost ways to organize employees, Propst’s progressive ideas about mobility gave way to cubicles. This affordable solution consisted of modular and compact workstations enclosed by partitions.

Cubicles weren’t initially envisioned as the isolating spaces they became; they were meant to provide privacy without compromising flexibility. However, the pursuit of cost-efficiency turned them into standard-issue, mundane work setups.

Despite criticism for stifling creativity and interaction, cubicles spread worldwide as companies prioritized budgets over employee satisfaction or experimental ideas like the Action Office.

Examples

• Cubicles offered privacy at a fraction of the cost of organic layouts.
• Modularity made it easy for businesses to reconfigure office spaces cheaply.
• Companies shifted toward practical solutions, abandoning expensive designs.

8. The Office as an Evolving System of Class and Labor

Throughout its evolution, the design of offices has consistently reflected broader societal divisions—especially class distinctions. As one example, office amenities were used to signal white-collar prestige compared to blue-collar laborers.

From the separation of clerks from factory workspaces in the 1800s to modern-day perks like game rooms in tech companies, office design mirrors the priorities and hierarchies of its time.

Examples

• Skyscrapers segregated clerical staff from manual workers to project class status.
• Office perks like gym facilities continue to elevate white-collar worker appeal.
• Changes in office setups symbolize shifts in societal and corporate dynamics.

9. Cost Often Defines the Office's Final Form

Over history, while idealistic models for offices have been proposed, the final layout of most workspaces has been dictated by cost-effectiveness. Whether through Taylorism’s efficiency or cubicles’ affordability, companies have always gravitated toward cheaper alternatives.

This prioritization has often occurred at the expense of worker comfort, health, or creativity, raising questions about the future of offices and how they can better serve human needs rather than pure productivity goals.

Examples

• High costs sank the Bürolandschaft in favor of cheaper open-plan designs.
• Cubicles replaced flexible action offices as a budget-friendly alternative.
• Companies cut corners on noise reduction or decor to minimize expenses.

Takeaways

1. Understand your work environment’s history to rethink how spaces impact productivity and well-being.
2. Push for designs that balance cost with employee comfort and flexibility by proposing modern yet affordable solutions.
3. Consider introducing workplace features that foster both collaboration and individual focus, such as hybrid layouts or modular furniture.