I used to work in a college of architecture. Back in the 70s, when the building had been created, they were all about open-concept and collaborative work and that sort of thing, so the student work areas were designed with no walls or dividers, just lots and lots of drafting tables.
Apparently that lasted about twenty minutes before they bought cubicles and walled off every table into its own space. XD
The building had also been designed with an atrium, and the library I worked in along with our offices in back had been constructed to be open to the atrium, presumably to foster communication and interchange. What it did was prevent everyone from working because of the noise, so plate-glass windows were installed shortly thereafter. It was still annoying because you felt you were on display (and I turned my computer so that my back was no longer to the window as soon as I could), but at least you could hear yourself think.
One place I worked was a brand-new building with that sort of aquarium effect in offices all up and down the stairway---I think the architect was unclear on the concept and thought he was designing medical offices, not labs. The first thing that happened when the scientists moved in was taped up paper and the second was venetian blinds.
In another, everyone sat in open cubicles, having client meetings on speakerphone. My job was the least important, apparently, so I got the cubicle that had its back to the entire open room, with the boss staring at me all the time when her door (she had a door) was open. Another open cubicle job was in a repurposed warehouse. It had a metal roof, like a big resonant diaphragm. Horrible. Of course the higher-ups had offices with doors, which were usually closed...
My UW workplace was like that, apart from the metal roof - down to the higher-ups (all men) having doors. All the women out in the bullpen had really flimsy half-walls. It was awful.
i overheard someone at starbucks today saying into their cellphone (and, i assume, to another person), "just because i don't want to be interrupted while i'm working doesn't mean i don't like you or want you around."
i, of course, am quite extroverted...but i also work in retail, where being extroverted is pretty much the only way too be, so. a job where i can say hello to people all the time and make meaningless small talk? YES. ...FOR ME. XD
Ha! I have a coworker that stops by every morning to ask "You doing ok today?" as he's passing by...and EVERY morning it makes me almost homicidal... :)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
Apparently that lasted about twenty minutes before they bought cubicles and walled off every table into its own space. XD
The building had also been designed with an atrium, and the library I worked in along with our offices in back had been constructed to be open to the atrium, presumably to foster communication and interchange. What it did was prevent everyone from working because of the noise, so plate-glass windows were installed shortly thereafter. It was still annoying because you felt you were on display (and I turned my computer so that my back was no longer to the window as soon as I could), but at least you could hear yourself think.
no subject
In another, everyone sat in open cubicles, having client meetings on speakerphone. My job was the least important, apparently, so I got the cubicle that had its back to the entire open room, with the boss staring at me all the time when her door (she had a door) was open. Another open cubicle job was in a repurposed warehouse. It had a metal roof, like a big resonant diaphragm. Horrible. Of course the higher-ups had offices with doors, which were usually closed...
no subject
no subject
i, of course, am quite extroverted...but i also work in retail, where being extroverted is pretty much the only way too be, so. a job where i can say hello to people all the time and make meaningless small talk? YES. ...FOR ME. XD
no subject
no subject