Redesigning: Cubicles

Here's an article from FastCompany, where they asked some folks from the big design firms like Herman Miller and Steelcase to imagine cubicle design to enhance both comfort and collaboration. As much as I wish cubicles would go away, in favor of more open and flexible space, they probably won't, so this design is at least a bit of a compromise towards improving some of the limitations of the design of more traditional cubicles. I especially like the hexagon shape, and I suspect it would also increase person-per-square-foot efficiency. The automatically activating noise-cancellation speakers would be great, too!

Full article here: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/157/redesigning-cubicles  

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For a Company That Sells Productivity, A Space That Fosters It (37Signals)

 

Inside 37signals' new office in Chicago.

When you're a company that focuses on productivity tools, you set a high bar for your own practices. For the last seven years,37signals, a company that produces products like the project management software Campfire and Basecamp, as well as the popular blog Signal vs. Noise, prided themselves on their flexible working habits, even though those habits were born out of necessity. (read full article here: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662465/for-a-company-that-sells-productivity-a-space-that-fosters-it )

Plus a video:

 

http://www.fastcompany.com/1755695/creating-a-productive-office-space-with-jason-fried-of-37signals 

Jason Fried of 37Signals (http://37signals.com interestingly, they make collaborative web-based products like Basecamp and Campfire), speaking about how workspaces need to be sure to provide quiet areas to help employees concentrate, as well as providing areas to converse and socialize. I thought it was interesting that they are trying to have the area be fairly quiet, but it's 10,000 square feet! There's also an article describing the materials and design of the new space; personally, I think the felt looks great, and I bet it is fantastic at dampening sound.

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