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Dropbox Studios

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24 pointstosh15 comments

This is basically turning Dropbox offices into WeWork spaces, overlooking the fact that actually working in such an environment is way overrated.

There is nothing new here. Something like half of the workforce wants to WFH, unless we/they have private offices. So now we’re calling the super-hyper-collab space “office experiences” or something. Who wants to work this way? I’m sure there is someone who does. I’m also sure there are studies to show that putting everyone in a room together makes them more productive. But, productive or not, these fancy big-room office arrangements are not preferable to WFH or private offices.

I don’t understand it. How can companies and office designers think that working in an environment like that is more productive than a “cube farm” with semi-private desk spaces?

Not to mention those chairs and benches? I can barely imagine sitting in those for 30 minutes, let alone a few hours.

Seems like they got far too carried away with the a e s t h e t i c of the place, and didn’t worry about practicality/employee happiness at all.

This! I am convinced that all of the productivity gains from WFH are due to the comparison being the horrendous office environment trends companies have been implementing. Sure looks nice, but open concept is terrible for concentration and hotelling is an affront to your employees.

Did you read the article? The spaces were explicitly designed for collaboration since Dropbox is distributed by default now. For focused work, you do it from your home office where no one bothers you.

And yes visual aesthetics of an office matter a lot. I don’t want to work at a place that looks like a depressing piece of shit.

Yes, who wants to collaborate if the office doesnt look like from a fashion catalogue.

Environments can shape behaviors and mindsets. The aesthetic encompasses formal aspects that are not purely stylistic.

I agree it is certainly a strong application of taste, but would you disagree that this environment might predispose groups toward different types of interactions? (different than a cube farm, or event different from a typical open office?)

Ergonomics are ugly. The sharp metal edge of my MacBook Pro on my wrist is a constant painful reminder of the consistent choices that are made for form over function.

The aluminum frame acts as a heatsink for the entire machine - it directly contributes to thermal management.

Tradeoffs aren't the same thing as making a choice purely for form over function.

The aluminum frame could easily have a curved beveled edge instead of a straight edge with two sharp points for the cutout. It looks "cooler" but it consistently hurts my wrist - particularly when I am typing with one hand using Logic because I have a guitar neck in my other hand. (actually doing the "cool" stuff with my laptop that Apple wants to promote)

I think that’s totally fair criticism.

Oddly, I have the same reaction as your first two paragraphs to most cube-farm offices I’ve been in.

I don’t doubt that cost/cramming may be part of the calculus but there are many types of work and scenarios that can benefit from not sitting for hours on end in near-total silence.

This might be an over-index in the other direction, but certainly the aesthetic is intended to be a departure; it isn’t supposed to be an “office”

What's the innovation here?

The article is good fodder for an episode of Silicon Valley (back when it was funny).

Gabe with the wearable chair fits right in.

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