The Design Behind ... The Office Cubicle

The office cubicle wasn't supposed to be a prison, it was created to save us from a dysfunctional workplace. Nikil Saval, author of "Cubed: A Secret History of The Workplace" explains why it failed.

In the 1960s, Robert Propst designed a new office system for the American furniture company, Herman Miller. It was called "The Action Office" and it was meant to free office workers from a setting that wasn't working for them.

This is a promotional video for The Action Office courtesy of Herman Miller.

Herman Miller Promotional Video for the Action Office System

10 years ago

Duration 12:35

In 1968, Herman Miller introduced the world's first open-plan office system called The Action Office system. Here is a Herman Miller promotional video from 1972 looking at how the Action Office System began transforming the design of workplaces around the world.

Do you work in an office cubicle? Show it to us.

Tweet it to @thecurrentcbc with #bydesigncbc. You can also post it on Facebook or email us a picture.

This segment was produced by The Current's Gord Westmacott.