Comment I love cubes ... no I'm not mad. (Score 1) 374
I have worked in a variety of offices and have to say that I love the mixture of privacy (head down gettingon with it) and sociability (hanging around chatting)offered by full-height cubes.
The UK is very keen on open plan, and it's just too distracting for me. On the other hand being shut in an office seems too isolated.
The only thing I do like about cubes is the way they look when you walk into the room (like pig sty's).
My three rules for good cube life are:
1. Customise the lighting.
2. Customise the space.
3. Get some extra entertainment.
I always kill the overhead lights, in the UK anything less than 50Watts per square metre seems to be impossible, so turn the tubes by 90 degrees or use an air pistol to take them out.
Pin-ups are a must, family, hobbies, flags, etc etc... I have seen water scupltures, fish tanks (very nice fresh water fish), CD libraries (of the musical kind) the list is endless. In fact it was always a pleasure to see how people personalised their own space.
A Hi-Fi is a must, preferably valve driven, but whatever it is make it bigger than the ipod.
Finally lighting. Having killed the overhead lights, some nice subtle ikea desk lighting. I know someone that had a full standard uplighter.
Would I swap my open plan office for a cube... yes all day every day.
The UK is very keen on open plan, and it's just too distracting for me. On the other hand being shut in an office seems too isolated.
The only thing I do like about cubes is the way they look when you walk into the room (like pig sty's).
My three rules for good cube life are:
1. Customise the lighting.
2. Customise the space.
3. Get some extra entertainment.
I always kill the overhead lights, in the UK anything less than 50Watts per square metre seems to be impossible, so turn the tubes by 90 degrees or use an air pistol to take them out.
Pin-ups are a must, family, hobbies, flags, etc etc... I have seen water scupltures, fish tanks (very nice fresh water fish), CD libraries (of the musical kind) the list is endless. In fact it was always a pleasure to see how people personalised their own space.
A Hi-Fi is a must, preferably valve driven, but whatever it is make it bigger than the ipod.
Finally lighting. Having killed the overhead lights, some nice subtle ikea desk lighting. I know someone that had a full standard uplighter.
Would I swap my open plan office for a cube... yes all day every day.
