The origin of office can be traced back to ancient Rome. The word “office” comes from a Latin word, “officium,” which means “bureau.” During the time, office was not so much about the buildings, but more about the people in it. That’s why you see phrases like “the office of the ministers.” In this first part of the article, we’ll look at the early times of office design and continue our way up to the 1970s.  

The 18th Century 

The 18th century saw the first dedicated buildings built for offices. As the British empire was expanding and business was growing, they built the first office in 1726 called The Old Admiralty office. This was followed by offices from other large entities like the East India Trading Company in 1729. Civil servants, lawyers, and other professionals started to work from the office. 

Office Layout and Culture

Rooms were separated into two spaces to avoid disturbance–one room for mechanical work and another for intellectual work. The mechanical workers were put in one room with a supervisor closely monitoring them.  

Working hours were long and harsh, with a day of work typically going for more than 12 hours. Although employees were given holidays, they would need to be ready to go back to work whenever needed. Furthermore, during this age, individual wellness was very much ignored. 

Furniture and Technology

According to one source, the cubicle that we know today has its origins as far back as ancient Rome. Also known as the Scriptorium, monks were using it to write manuscripts. And further evidence suggests that excluded spaces were used to conduct tasks that needed total concentration. 

19th Century

Office Layout and Culture

Office arrangements in the 19th century followed the hierarchical business structure. So, the owners had the top floors, and those in lower positions had the bottom floors. Furthermore, spaces were also strictly separated by ranks. The general employees were put in one room different from their senior counterparts. 

Furniture and Technology

Most furniture was wooden-based and sourced from the lowest quality. Typical furniture you can find here were wooden chairs and desks, inkstands, cabinets, and bookbinders. Technology was simple but revolutionary. For example, manual typewriters and gaslamps as the main office lighting fixtures. 

Early 20th Century 

An American engineer and pioneer of the office space, Frederick Taylor, sought to change how things work in the office and introduced the Efficiency Movement also known as Taylorism. He crafted an office layout that looked similar to factories. The design was created solely to maximise industrial efficiency and profits for the employers. The health and well-being of the workers were not prioritised once again.  

Office layout and culture

The office layout was linear and straight, with work routines that were repetitive and standardised. Managers would go around strictly monitoring employees doing their specific tasks. 

Furniture and Technology

There were a few improvements in regards to the office furniture system. Seats were more comfortable as new features like armchairs were included. Desks were still made of wood, but the senior staff had roll-top desks. 

As technology became more advanced, offices also changed drastically. A few important technology advancements that occurred during this century, which helped boost communication capabilities, were static telephones, calculators, and telegraphs. In addition, electric lamps and air conditioning can also be found at offices during this time. 

The 1950s

In the 1950s, offices started to move away from the concept of Taylorism and began to embrace a new approach, which we all know today as an open-plan space. 

Office culture was also more open and fluid, meaning employees had more freedom to move around the office and communicate with each other. Another new space introduced was the break room. For the first time, workers have the chance to get off their minds of work in a designated space.  

Office Layout and Culture

As offices became more fluid, the noise was becoming an issue. Telephone calls and typewriters were the primary sources of disturbance. Therefore, during the 50s, partitions were used to limit noise distractions. The workplace in this decade also improved in terms of air quality. Air conditioning has a new system that can regulate the air inside.

Furniture and Technology

The 1950s saw a breakthrough in office furniture. Because of this, office owners started to focus on providing furniture that benefits the office inhabitants. Ergonomic chairs, mid-century modern desks, and even plants became the newest members of the office. 

Workplaces were also becoming more significant to people, especially in the city. 

In technology, there was a switch from electric lamps to fluorescent lighting. Typewriters also improved significantly, as well as major updates in air conditioning.  

The 1960s

Office layout and Culture

The main highlight of the 1960s office model was the introduction of modern architectural design that uses warm colours and textures. However, there was also a setback on an open plan layout as privacy settings ushered in to prevent distractions and heightened concentration.

Furniture and Technology 

Ergonomics design continued to be the focus as benefits of it were seen by many business owners.  The office furniture design also became more meticulous with more attention to shape and functionality. Furthermore, partitions kept being used although they had a moveable feature, making them more practical and flexible. 

There was a significant change in technology with the introduction of fax machines, photocopiers, and laser printers. 

The 1970s

Office layout and Culture 

The cubicle layout continues to become the dominant model throughout the offices in major countries like the U.K. Attention to the well-being of workers got its footing, and more companies put in more work to improve the condition of both the office and their employees. Office interior design and working culture were made to encourage workers to be more creative. 

There was also a change of mind when it came to location. Businesses were more interested in locating their offices in the outer cities because the rent was cheap and closer to where their employees were living.

Furniture and Technology 

More ergonomics furniture came to play, like height-adjustable seatings and comfortable sofas. Communications and efficiency heightened during this era as computers became a part of the offices. Data management too, became more advanced as floppy disks were put to use. 

Wait for part two of this article!