Cubicles

Robert Propst was not the monster you think. Yes, his name is forever linked to the rise of the soul-crushing cubicle, but the truth is far more tragic. Propst, a visionary designer, wanted to liberate office workers, not imprison them.

In the 1960s, the landscape of work was shifting. Open plan offices were the rage, promising collaboration and a break from rigid hierarchies. But Propst saw a problem – the noise, the distractions, the ceaseless interruptions that ate away at productivity and sanity.

So, he conceived the 'Action Office', a system of modular desks and full-height screens. Workers could customize their workspace, gaining some semblance of control amidst the chaos. Each station would offer a haven of focus, a place where ideas could take shape without colleagues barging in every few minutes.

Propst's mistake was underestimating the forces of bean-counting and middle management. In his mind, a floor might hold a handful of these Action Office stations, spacious and thoughtfully arranged. However, executives saw a way to maximize profit: squeeze those partitions together, cram workers in like sardines, and boom! You've doubled your workforce without expanding an inch.

The cubicle, meant as a shield, became a cage. A symbol of the worker as a cog, a replaceable unit in a vast corporate machine. Propst was horrified. His invention, twisted and exploited, fueled everything he hoped to fight against.

The rest of his life became a Sisyphean apology tour. He gave interviews, penned articles, desperately trying to explain his original vision, but it was too late. The cubicle had taken on a life of its own, a grim embodiment of the 'rat race' and the relentless pursuit of profit over human well-being.

When Propst died in 2000, he was largely a forgotten figure. Yet, his story is a cautionary tale about unintended consequences, about how good ideas can be warped into instruments of oppression. The cubicle may bear his name, but its legacy is one of compromised ideals, not malicious intent. It's a reminder that even as we strive to improve the world, we must always remain vigilant against those who would use our creations for purposes far removed from their original spirit.

See Also

• Station Booth (Cubicle inside of the train stations)