He consulted with Joan Evans (scholar of ornament and pattern), Terry Allen and Carl Frost (Michigan State University psychologists), Robert Sommer (who investigated the effects of different spaces on mental health), Edward T. Hall (anthropologist and author of the 1959 book, The Silent Language[2]), as well as with a number of specialists, including mathematicians and behavioral psychologists.
[1][3] Action Office I featured desks and workspaces of varying height that allowed the worker freedom of movement, and the flexibility to assume the work position best suited for the task.
Despite the shortcomings of Action Office I, Nelson won the Alcoa Award for the product's design, neglecting to mention Propst's contribution.
With Nelson gone, Propst was free to explore his concept of an office that was capable of frequent modification to suit the changing needs of the employee, without having to purchase new furnishings.
His concept was the "back-up," a two or three sided vertical division that defined territory and afforded privacy without hindering the ability to view or participate in happenings outside the space.
[1] The Action Office II lineup was an unprecedented success, often referred to as the birth of the modern cubicle,[4] and was quickly copied by other manufacturers.
[2] In 1970, he sent a letter to Robert Blaich, who had become Herman Miller's Vice-President for Corporate Design and Communication, in which he described the system's "dehumanizing effect as a working environment."
But it is admirable for planners looking for ways of cramming in a maximum number of bodies, for "employees" (as against individuals), for "personnel," corporate zombies, the walking dead, the silent majority.
[1] Designed to streamline the service functions of a hospital environment, they were highly successful[citation needed] until the advent of centralized computer systems made such portability of physical documents obsolete.
Kelley changed the wall units to highly varied — but standardized — tiles that could simply slide into a frame and be finished with end caps.
By selecting new Ethospace tiles, one could quickly change the color, texture, function, and character of the workspace without dismantling the frame or disrupting work.
The resulting design was based on Nelson's CPS (Comprehensive Panel System), and featured "pods" of four cubicles arranged in a swastika pattern, each with an L-shaped desk and overhead storage.