Robert Propst (American, 1921–2000)
George Nelson (American, 1908–1986)
Manufactured by Herman Miller Inc. (American, founded 1905)
Action Office Wall-Mounted Desk
INV-1582
Robert Propst (American, 1921–2000)
George Nelson (American, 1908–1986)
Manufactured by Herman Miller Inc. (American, founded 1905)1964
Action Office Wall-Mounted Desk
Robert Propst (American, 1921–2000) George Nelson (American, 1908–1986) Manufactured by Herman Miller Inc. (American, founded 1905) →20th Centurydeskfurniture
Date
1964
Medium
Aluminum, plastic, and wood
Dimensions
Desk piece: 39.4 × 123.2 × 61.6 cm (15 1/2 × 48 1/2 × 24 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Allan Frumkin
In the 1960s, Herman Miller designers George Nelson and Robert Propst set out to liberate white-collar workers from factorylike rows of desks and typewriters. Their solution was the Action Office, a suite of furniture that allowed the office worker to move among pieces well suited to each task, such as a standing desk and mobile meeting station. The system was colorful, well built, and dynamic, yet it was eventually redesigned after poor sales, leading to the creation of what we now know as the ubiquitous and dull cubicle.
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