Cubicle 2.0

Steelcase's cushy "Studio 53" cubicle is just one example of how office furniture companies are reaching out to Generations X and Y

by Reena Jana

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Imagine transforming a standard 8-foot-square office cubicle into a plush, stylish, and private lounge, replete with velvety red cushioning that covers all vertical and horizontal surfaces. Throw in some overstuffed pillows and a swanky, contemporary chandelier. Sound comfy? Slightly outrageous? Or maybe even part of a strange dream sequence in a comedy about corporate life? In fact, office furniture giant Steelcase (SCS), which saw annual revenue for fiscal year 2007 increase 8%, to $3.1 billion dollars, makes and sells just such a fantasy.

The cushy cube, called Studio 53 (a nod to the intimate banquettes once found at the decadent 1970s Manhattan disco Studio 54), was initially intended as more of a provocative sculpture than a product. It was created as a concept piece that went on display at Steelcase's Chicago showroom during last year's NeoCon, a furniture trade show. But visitors were taken with Studio 53, asking if it was available for purchase. Executives from leading ad agency Leo Burnett even put in an order on the spot. (Steelcase doesn't disclose price, which varies depending on configuration.)

"We were surprised at the reaction at the show," says James Ludwig, Steelcase's director of design. "Not only were people connecting to its 'high concept' message of 'Don't Hate Me because I'm a Cubicle,' but architects and designers were unrolling blueprints at the show to discuss how we could either plan [to include] some of the workstations in a project they were working on or how the thought could influence their own planning ideas."

Defying the Stereotypes

"We wanted to challenge notions of cubicle clichés," Ludwig says, explaining why the company created such a head-turning and iconoclastic workstation, without even room for a desk or shelves. Instead, it can be used as a comfortable, informal meeting space that takes up the real estate of a traditional cubicle and doesn't require expensive, extensive construction.

Increasingly, many of the top-selling office furniture makers are experimenting with remakes of the boxy, boring cubicle to appeal to Generation X and Y workers who prefer collaborative working environments to isolating, generic-looking work spaces. Other companies such as Herman Miller (MLHR) and Knoll (KNL), are also pushing imaginative new designs that encourage teams to meet and work together rather than slog away alone. And many of these fresh reconfigurations also offer flexible, customizable features, such as doors that allow the workstations to transform from public to private space quickly. In addition, most conform to the small sizes of the traditional office cube to help companies maximize square footage in office spaces when workforces grow or, conversely, when a corporation has to downsize to smaller digs.

The new designs are influenced by research conducted by furniture manufacturers on the work habits of today's employees. Knoll, for example, in partnership with Danbury (Conn.) research firm DYG, published a white paper on Oct. 5 that reflected a yearlong national study of the workplace preferences of professionals of various ages, in a variety of industries from financial services to consulting and retail. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the paper supports design trends in Knoll's latest cubicle offerings as well as those from competitors such as Steelcase and Herman Miller, Haworth and even IKEA, which increasingly caters to small businesses seeking furniture for open-plan offices.