As an intern I am destined to sit in a 6x6 grey cubicle. One major incentive for licensure was to get an office, but I was just informed that this is not the case even tho the last person to get licensed here (four years ago) moved right into an office. I am really really disappointed. We even have 3 spare offices, and I have been busting the seams of my 6x6 for awhile now. WTF? Should I just move into one overnight and watch the shit hit the fan? Hehehe.
Is your cube just some off the rack systems furniture or is it "architectural"?? I work inside some fancy 8x8 cube that supposedly was designed but it sucks just as bad.
Never have worked in the more "open" style offices that I keep seeing. How is that?
i have never worked in a cubicle and would never want to do so. open office is the only way to go. i've even worked in offices where the head cheeses have no office either and the sit in the open space just like everyone else. they usually had bigger desks, but they like the intern had pretty much the same set up. it is a nice equalizer. designers need to work together not in isolated little holes.
Wait, define “cubicle� Maybe what we have is an open office space. We don’t have Knoll or Herman Miller office systems. Our loft space office is divided by 54†high walls that give everyone a space approximately 10’x10’. The 10x10 space has table surface on three sides, leaving about 3’x 6’ open floor space for your chair to roll around in. Very egalitarian.
Principals in huge fancy offices on one side. Other architects in offices, everyone else in cubes. We are literally separated by an atrium. It is bothersome to walk over to the fancy side of the atrium to talk to someone. Lots of interoffice e-mail and phone calls.
While this hierarchy is expressed in the physical layout at my firm, I think we all have realized it doesn't work. And at least the principals do recognize our layout doesn't do much for teamwork and have regretted the set-up. "Spatial masters" those guys are.
For you that have cubes, do you have a place to draw? Or are you just supposed to do that on the computer? What about storage? I have to keep everything in a messy pile under my workstation - no flat files for the interns. Also, don't you hear every phone conversation around you? Every keystroke? Every sigh of disgust?
Gosh I'm depressed today. Focusing on the positive... I do have a Swingline.
My office is no purveyor of design... but it is "open."
My "boss" sits about 4' behind me and we frequently communicate by chatting between his two monitors. There's 6 of us in a big room. Ideas, info and arguments flow pretty easily this way. And we can shoot rubberbands at each other without the hindrance of half walls.
It works pretty well for us most days, but the drawback is that it promotes shouting requests as opposed to getting up and knocking on someones cubicle. Of course, that could also just be due to the collective lack of couth or class in my office.
Im stuck in cubicle hell. I never see the light of day. The big cheeses get window offices and in doing so block all the windows. They wonder why they can't keep interns. I guess the fact the higher ups never actually speak to interns insures they'll never get it. It gets a little depressing.
I'm in somewhat an office like liberty. Around the perimeter we have these gyp walled cubes that are "architectural" because they aren't level, and vary in height. At very least I get a window view. At the other side of the buildings perimeter are quite nice offices with full height walls and doors. Only partners get those things. In the middle, aside from the toilets and copy machines is a cube farm. Thankfully I don't live in Steelcase 9000 land.
The other night I was working late with a co-worker. I went to a workstation near his and we worked together shouting over the cube walls. The collaborative work was fun and faster but that damn wall slowed down things. Better watch how I comment on our office layout. One of the parners came up with this "genius" design.
Our cubicles are "designer" - cost 10 grand each I hear. But they aren't anything special. My desk surface is lopsided and the ergonomic keyboard tray is useless. The grey chair does match the grey cubicle that matches the grey carpet, neat.
jchermely, did whoever designed your office layout understand the concept of "borrowed light"? Do they know that worker productivity skyrockets when they have access to natural light at their desks?
Jeez, you'd think every architect's office would at least be a pleasant environment to work in. Ours definitely is, although it's sorta sloppy, I love the messiness because it makes the place feel like a working studio.
On a more positive contribution; we are just undertaking a new refurbishment of our studio. With a large studio containg 4 teams of up to 40 people, we have made the move to a less cellular division and a more open, flexible plan. If you want to know more about office layouts - cell, club, den etc then try
"The British pay twice as much as the German and French, and nearly three times as much as the Americans for a standard four-pack roll."
You need to grow trees faster over there BOTS!
"The pay toilets here are crazy! You put money in it, the door opens, you go in and when you finish and come out, the door shuts and locks behind you, the entire bathroom is hosed down, soaped, and dried and then it is available for the next person. It's great!"
I'd like to think that an Architect or aspiring architect to-be would have the initiative, skills, and talent to solve a problem in office architecture. You want an office but don't have one so either Get one or Make one. Take some initiative. Don't be so banal.
are offices for architect's even relevant anymore? I mean shouldn't the gathering of ideas (esp from concept to development) happen any where but an office? Production seems like it should be relegated to the moments in pjs between rounds of counterstrike or Call of Duty (online) - just a thought!
No one in my firm, which is quite large, has an office except the founder of the firm and the architecture and financial heads. There two office aren't that exciting either, slightly larger glass boxes.
We have bays, as opposed to cubicles, so I think it is a more "open office" system. I think the only heirarchy going on is that the principals get the window seats and different types of office furniture (think less design-oriented more business-oriented), which have amazing views of the Bay Bridge, and everyone else is just seated with their project teams or studios.
Jan 10, 05 1:07 pm ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
Architects in cubicles
As an intern I am destined to sit in a 6x6 grey cubicle. One major incentive for licensure was to get an office, but I was just informed that this is not the case even tho the last person to get licensed here (four years ago) moved right into an office. I am really really disappointed. We even have 3 spare offices, and I have been busting the seams of my 6x6 for awhile now. WTF? Should I just move into one overnight and watch the shit hit the fan? Hehehe.
Yeah, that is sad, fight the power!
can i just give you back your red Swingline stapler
and make you happy?
Please watch the rental movie and chill out.
sorry. one more try:
red Swingline stapler
yeah, i would hijack one of those offices.
Is your cube just some off the rack systems furniture or is it "architectural"?? I work inside some fancy 8x8 cube that supposedly was designed but it sucks just as bad.
Never have worked in the more "open" style offices that I keep seeing. How is that?
Strawbeary, did oyu just get licensed? If so, then I say go for it, move into the spare office overnight.
Licensed - no not yet. I think I will move across the country instead when I do tho.
What kind of accomodations do you all have?
Everyone in our firm, partner to intern, has a cubicle. Only exception: the founder of the firm and the financial manager have private offices.
i have never worked in a cubicle and would never want to do so. open office is the only way to go. i've even worked in offices where the head cheeses have no office either and the sit in the open space just like everyone else. they usually had bigger desks, but they like the intern had pretty much the same set up. it is a nice equalizer. designers need to work together not in isolated little holes.
Wait, define “cubicle� Maybe what we have is an open office space. We don’t have Knoll or Herman Miller office systems. Our loft space office is divided by 54†high walls that give everyone a space approximately 10’x10’. The 10x10 space has table surface on three sides, leaving about 3’x 6’ open floor space for your chair to roll around in. Very egalitarian.
Principals in huge fancy offices on one side. Other architects in offices, everyone else in cubes. We are literally separated by an atrium. It is bothersome to walk over to the fancy side of the atrium to talk to someone. Lots of interoffice e-mail and phone calls.
While this hierarchy is expressed in the physical layout at my firm, I think we all have realized it doesn't work. And at least the principals do recognize our layout doesn't do much for teamwork and have regretted the set-up. "Spatial masters" those guys are.
For you that have cubes, do you have a place to draw? Or are you just supposed to do that on the computer? What about storage? I have to keep everything in a messy pile under my workstation - no flat files for the interns. Also, don't you hear every phone conversation around you? Every keystroke? Every sigh of disgust?
Gosh I'm depressed today. Focusing on the positive... I do have a Swingline.
My office is no purveyor of design... but it is "open."
My "boss" sits about 4' behind me and we frequently communicate by chatting between his two monitors. There's 6 of us in a big room. Ideas, info and arguments flow pretty easily this way. And we can shoot rubberbands at each other without the hindrance of half walls.
It works pretty well for us most days, but the drawback is that it promotes shouting requests as opposed to getting up and knocking on someones cubicle. Of course, that could also just be due to the collective lack of couth or class in my office.
maybe its time for a Hello Kitty stapler then?
Im stuck in cubicle hell. I never see the light of day. The big cheeses get window offices and in doing so block all the windows. They wonder why they can't keep interns. I guess the fact the higher ups never actually speak to interns insures they'll never get it. It gets a little depressing.
liberty, sounds like you have a cube-ette.
I'm in somewhat an office like liberty. Around the perimeter we have these gyp walled cubes that are "architectural" because they aren't level, and vary in height. At very least I get a window view. At the other side of the buildings perimeter are quite nice offices with full height walls and doors. Only partners get those things. In the middle, aside from the toilets and copy machines is a cube farm. Thankfully I don't live in Steelcase 9000 land.
The other night I was working late with a co-worker. I went to a workstation near his and we worked together shouting over the cube walls. The collaborative work was fun and faster but that damn wall slowed down things. Better watch how I comment on our office layout. One of the parners came up with this "genius" design.
Our cubicles are "designer" - cost 10 grand each I hear. But they aren't anything special. My desk surface is lopsided and the ergonomic keyboard tray is useless. The grey chair does match the grey cubicle that matches the grey carpet, neat.
jchermely, did whoever designed your office layout understand the concept of "borrowed light"? Do they know that worker productivity skyrockets when they have access to natural light at their desks?
Jeez, you'd think every architect's office would at least be a pleasant environment to work in. Ours definitely is, although it's sorta sloppy, I love the messiness because it makes the place feel like a working studio.
the only time I enter a cubicle in work is to take a shit
the cost of a shit
you'll have do convert to get dollars
On a more positive contribution; we are just undertaking a new refurbishment of our studio. With a large studio containg 4 teams of up to 40 people, we have made the move to a less cellular division and a more open, flexible plan. If you want to know more about office layouts - cell, club, den etc then try
The Commercial Offices Handbook
Oh yeah, I work in a large commercial practice.
"The British pay twice as much as the German and French, and nearly three times as much as the Americans for a standard four-pack roll."
You need to grow trees faster over there BOTS!
"The pay toilets here are crazy! You put money in it, the door opens, you go in and when you finish and come out, the door shuts and locks behind you, the entire bathroom is hosed down, soaped, and dried and then it is available for the next person. It's great!"
I'd like to think that an Architect or aspiring architect to-be would have the initiative, skills, and talent to solve a problem in office architecture. You want an office but don't have one so either Get one or Make one. Take some initiative. Don't be so banal.
are offices for architect's even relevant anymore? I mean shouldn't the gathering of ideas (esp from concept to development) happen any where but an office? Production seems like it should be relegated to the moments in pjs between rounds of counterstrike or Call of Duty (online) - just a thought!
No one in my firm, which is quite large, has an office except the founder of the firm and the architecture and financial heads. There two office aren't that exciting either, slightly larger glass boxes.
We have bays, as opposed to cubicles, so I think it is a more "open office" system. I think the only heirarchy going on is that the principals get the window seats and different types of office furniture (think less design-oriented more business-oriented), which have amazing views of the Bay Bridge, and everyone else is just seated with their project teams or studios.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.