Contract - March 2010 - (Page 57)

This McCluskey-designed desk (left) is all feminine and curvy, with no middle drawer that prevents a woman from crossing her legs more easily, without snagging her stockings. Note provision for flowers, makeup, typewriter to one side. Even credenza has feminine touches and art objects that soften the environment. No modesty panels All these female designers feel that it is important to be accessible and exposed so that there is no barrier between herself and her callers. Consequently, there is agreement that the modesty panel is on its way out of vogue. A womanâ€™s legs are nothing to be ashamed of, and there is no reason for hiding them behind an obstruction that serves only to tear stockings and add to discomfort and inconvenience, they agree. For ornamentation, Emily Malino suggests beautiful containers, such as decorated English tea cracker boxes, in which she could store her personal items, thus making them practical as well as aesthetic. A personal touch increases the feeling of friendliness and openness that Miss Malino and most of the other designers feel is so important in an executive office, particularly that of a woman. Flowers also ranked high for decoration and a touch of femininity. Miss Bergson has plants on the wall unit behind her desk, and Mrs. McCluskey likes fresh flowers on the desk itself. Shouldnâ€™t contrast with occupant As for desk surface materials, preferences vary. Miss Bergson prefers a wood grain to instill warmth in the room, and because â€œthere is less chance of dirtying bare arms or expensive long-sleeve dresses.â€ Miss Michaelson, too, likes a wood grain and prefers a colored lacquer as a second choice. Whatever it is, it should not be too ostentatious or showy to take away from the woman behind the desk. Glass and plastic are Mrs. McCluskeyâ€™s preferences; Emily Malino prefers laminates for their huge variety, and wood, such as oak, for its lovely appearance. But, ideally, Miss Malino would like all of her office furniture to be of a soft material, other than the desk surface, which, obviously, would have to be hard for writing purposes. Miss Malino agrees with the others that color should be flexible in decorating an office, particularly a design office, since designers deal with so many colors that the color scheme cannot be distracting. Another point of unanimous agreement is that there is not enough call for a line of desks specifically designed for the female executive, since there are so many modifications from which to choose in existing lines. They also feel that in their positions as designers, individuality should be paramount consideration, and therefore, either a one-of-a-kind desk or one that is custom made is preferable. This desk designed by Maria Bergson (right) incorporates some of her favorite thingsâ€”pigeon holes for convenient storage of things a female executive needs fast access to, smoothsurfaced underpinnings to stop stocking snags, and convenient drawer for storage of pencils, clips, and other paraphernalia. Mrs. McCluskey suggests that the middle drawer to a womanâ€™s desk be removed so that she may cross her legs more easily. This would minimize the possibility of tearing nylons, an eternal problem of all females. Another and more practical suggestion is that the files and shelves be of varying heights and sizes to conform to various needs. Chairs could be adapted to each facility with needed adjustments. â€œIt is important for a woman executive to have a drawer with front openings, such as pigeonholes,â€ says Maria Bergson, â€œto facilitate and to expedite getting such things as pads, pencils, or other items that she or her visitors might need in the course of a meeting.â€ Miss Michaelsonâ€™s choice of a desk would be a small French one, cabriole, and therefore, very feminine and fragile looking. Additional working space would be behind her. Mrs. McCluskey is partial to an island structure that would include the desk, storage space, and additional work room. The desk would be between 4 and 5 ft. wide. â€œThe desk should be narrower than that of a man, due to anthropometrics,â€ agrees Miss Bergson, who points out that the work and storage space should be in separate units, so that they could be used for longterm applications. The island setup would permit open communications between several people working together, a characteristic of landscaping that these designers, as women, all favored. For practical purposes, Miss Malino likes the Designcraft Departure II line of landscape furniture. She admires its versatility and the fact that it would satisfy the need for comfortable conferences, yet look good. â€œFor a more formal office,â€ she says, â€œI would choose the Unimark International Modulo line designed by Assalucci. This would be more elegant.â€ www.contractdesign.com contract march 2010 57 http://www.contractdesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - March 2010

Contract 3/10
Contents
Editor’s Note
Introduction
Resources
Perspectives
Essays from the Past:
The Contract Design Dilemma (May 1962)
Space Planning Symposium (July 1963)
Changes in Workplaces Reflect Changes in Task Structure (June 1970)
Women Need Feminine Desks (June 1970)
Name “Interior Designer” Is a Misnomer Because of Broader Duties (August 1970)
Research Reveals Proper Height, Width, Depth of Furniture, from Office Chairs to Library Tables (September 1970)
Astounding Technology Portends Drastic Office Changes in the ’80s (January 1980)
Is the Office Really Necessary? (January 1989)
If You Cut Your Fee, Do You Bleed? (June 1990)
Design: Retrospective
Essays on the Future:
More Happiness, Less Stuff: By Ray C. Anderson
The Social Aspect of Social Responsibility: By John Cary
Leading in the Global Market: By Ross Donaldson
Technology Trends: By Cathryn Barrett
Inadmissible Evidence: By Michael Berens
Practice
Designers Rate: Eight Designers Pick Their Favorite Three Commercial Interiors Products of the Last 50 Years
Ad Index

Contract - March 2010