Panel Systems In Office Furniture

By Author: Mel Joelle
Total Articles: 4328
Comment this article

Office cubicles were invented by Robert Propst, who patented them as the Action Office prototype that was intended to increase productivity as a result of their modular design. Today, office cubicles can easily be found in nearly any industry, sector, and business. These furniture systems are modular, constructed as a system of parts, panel by panel, and transcend most industry borders to fulfill the various and unique business demands of receptionists, sales, service people, telemarketers, teams of workers, and the managers and senior managers of entire offices. They have been around since the early 1960s, but their practical design, ease of installation, and intended purpose to connect employees and employers have made cubicles a well-chosen substitute for bulkier and often more expensive office furniture

Much has been changed since the emergence of the "office cubicle" in the 1960s. The open plan office concept has been proven highly counterproductive when employees need privacy while performing certain tasks that require low levels of noise. Privacy is critical for task-intensive knowledge workers, while ...
... work done in collaboration areas used for team meetings must not distract staff located in adjacent areas. Interior designers and efficiency experts began to see the need for variety in the workplace as essential to attracting and retaining a high quality workforce.

Another problem within the early days of the cubicle was mostly related to its impersonal character. The office cubicle has quickly become a source of angst to some of the cubically-employed, who feel demoralized by being packed-in. Their highly-uniformed nature did not leave any room for imagination. The company's size, goals, mission, and clientele were not taken into consideration. Cubicles have constantly been blamed for the alienation of workers and also for their exploitation as they made it easier for business owners to maximize the amount of workers in a given space at lower costs.

It is hard to deny, however, the improvements made from the early days of office cubicles. Today's office interiors are an amalgam of workspaces grouped and tailored to the tasks being performed," says Mark Bassil, the co-founder and Vice President of MAiSPACE, the leading systems manufacturer in the US. Layouts range from cubicles of varying size and configuration to full-wall private offices, conference rooms, and reception areas. Progressive interior designers, office, and facility managers are now taking the extra step of providing the enhanced aesthetic appeal, colors, and textures that add to the workplace environment. Colors, textures, workspace footprint variations, and personalization can yield outstanding results in terms of increasing employee morale and productivity," Bassil maintains. "The broad selection of stackable panel systems provided by MAiSPACE is the most cost-effective means to enliven workspaces."

MAiSPACE's snap-on, snap-off panel segments are constructed from 24-gauge steel and snapped on to 14-gauge cold-rolled steel structural members for exceptional durability, outstanding flexibility and effective sound dampening. At MAiSPACE, construction quality comes first with system elements that are strong enough to withstand ongoing changes. This framing supports a stackable/destackable panel system that enables the construction of workspace walls up to 14 feet high, Bassil says. Individual workplace walls can be modified without disturbing neighboring spaces. The MAiSPACE off-modular design allows flexibility in workspace size, configuration and in locating bins, shelves, and divider panels. In addition, self-leveling connectors simplify moving elements into and throughout the building, reduce assembly cost and the number of framing components required.

MAiSPACE systems furniture also allows the user to create a comfortable working environment by choosing the optimal placement of panel-hung components, which are adjustable at 1 inch increments. Curvilinear work surfaces with cascade edges can be positioned for right or left hand use depending on the end-user. Other features include height adjustable keyboard trays and tool rail tiles. Tackable acoustic tiles, white boards and other components with off-modular capabilities allow workers to be productive while expressing their individual identities."

At MAiSPACE, we are as concerned about style and aesthetics as durability and functionality. That's why we offer interchangeable panel tiles that come in more than 18 options to create harmony and contrast, to identify specific functional areas, and to provide pleasant working environments for employees and visitors alike.
Click here to read the rest of Panel Systems. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories about Office Furniture.