Robert Probst

1921 - 2000

Also known as the "Father of the Cubicle". When Propst designed the Action Office system, so-called "cubicle farms" were not his goal. Propst's own research into developing the action office philosophically was against the cubicle in many ways. The Action Office system was designed to promote productivity, privacy and health (cubicles attempted to increase blood flow) at the expense of some inefficient use of space. Cubicles are now typically designed to maximize efficient use of space.

The efficient "cubicle" became popular in office design because of the movable wall seen in the Action Office II (AO2) system, which initially saved money in construction and development costs. After their introduction into the marketplace, the Action Office II and other office systems were modified to pack in as many employees as possible into an office space. This vision was contrary to Propst's intentions, and he stated that, "The cubiclizing of people in modern corporations is monolithic insanity.”