Welcome

As we were working on this issue that celebrates office design, it dawned on me that I have never actually worked in a cubicle. Of this fact I am not particularly proud, nor ashamed, for that matter. And, who knows, someday I, too, might find myself in a six-by-eight space, like so many millions of other U.S. workers.

The reason this thought drifted into my brain was a recent e-mail someone sent, pointing out that 2008 was the 40th anniversary of the invention of the cubicle, the ubiquitous fixture on the office landscape that Fortune Magazine once compared to Fidel Castro — a kind of paneled dictator for life one could not avoid.

Robert Propst is credited with the invention of the cubicle, but his intentions were actually quite pure. The University of Colorado professor and inventor, who passed away in 2000, was asked by the Herman Miller company to come up with office furniture that would encourage productivity. Propst researched and designed the "Action Office," a very flexible workstation that was meant to ease fatigue and provide privacy for employees who had traditionally worked in large, open "bullpen" settings. Propst was said to have been disappointed that his good invention became cheapened and used to cram in as many workers as possible per square foot.

But that's not how office space should be. In fact, as we all know, today's design professionals are striving to create productive, healthy workplaces that foster creativity and collaboration, and preserve privacy and individuality. We're featuring three such recent projects in this issue, as well as taking a look at new office furnishings, including those with universal-design features. And, yes, you'll see flexible workstations — the kind that Propst would have approved of — with nary a Dilbert-esque cubicle in sight.

We're also presenting the winners of the recent Colorado ASID design awards, which include numerous commercial spaces and offices, plus learning about Solatubes, those wonderful daylighting devices that are popping up in sustainable ceilings all over the country. On the residential side of things, we're touring several showrooms that offer furnishings ranging from vintage-funky to sleekly sophisticated.

Finally, with fall's approach, it's time again for professional meetings and events to start up. Be sure to check our "Datebook" section for regional and national happenings, as well as our up-to-date web site, www.sourcesanddesign.com.

Photograph by Elliot Lincis