In trying to solve for the noisy office, Meta uncovered a way to improve the efficiency of its meeting rooms: a soundproof cubicle.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, "The Cube" is a noise-canceling cubicle that employees can reserve and will ultimately be featured in about 10% of Meta's spaces across the globe.
The Cube uses the same design principles found in soundproof, echo-free anechoic chambers. Unlike a traditional cubicle, it doesn't have fixed dimensions; one wall is unattached and can be moved closer or further away from the desk to block noise and provide privacy.
According to Gabor Nagy, a global workplace design researcher at Meta, one early benefit of the Cube is that it has reduced the strain on Meta's existing meeting rooms.
"The last thing we want is for people to camp in meeting rooms alone," he says. "The Cube is solid for that need to do meaningful, focused work."
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Behind Meta’s “Cube”
- The design was developed by a group of architects, design firms, and furniture manufacturers
- The Cube is made of felt-like recycled PET plastic and is designed to absorb sound from multiple directions
- The fourth wall of the cube is unattached and can be moved to block noise and provide privacy
- The Cube is designed to work with existing desks, and its panels block distractions in a user's periphery while a visor near the top of a panel lessens glare on a computer monitor
The sound challenge
It can take a lot of work to get the acoustics of an office right. A space that's too loud is disruptive. A space that’s too quiet can be distracting.
Before the pandemic, the average workplace had a decibel reading between 60-65, coming in just under a standard vacuum cleaner (70 decibels). Post-pandemic, more people collaborate with colleagues over Zoom, making a noisy office even nosier.
The Cube solves this challenge by providing employees a quiet space to videoconference and work as they see fit without disrupting others.
In addition, Meta is experimenting with “an audio moodscape system that could further obscure and suppress noise,” writes Chip Cutter and Meghan Bobrowsky. For example, Meta is testing a system that pipes in sounds of footsteps and waves crashing. They’ve also installed more carpet and acoustic ceiling tiles to control sound levels.
Employees also have access to Meta-issues noise-canceling headphones.
The future of the Cube
Meta has begun testing new colors and patterns and is working with manufacturers to roll out the Cube globally. They’ve already ordered 7,000 units and have distributed them to 22 locations worldwide.
