The Return of the Cubicle: How Meta’s ‘Cube’ is Revolutionizing the Modern Workplace

Open-plan offices were once seen as the pinnacle of modern design, encouraging collaboration and communication among employees. However, as the pandemic forced many to work from home, it became clear that these layouts were not conducive to focused work or privacy. In response, Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has developed a new solution: the Cube.

The Cube is a noise-canceling cubicle that absorbs sound from multiple directions, designed using principles found in soundproof anechoic chambers. Three sides curve around the desktop, while a fourth wall is unattached and can be moved to block noise and provide privacy. The Cube is made of felt-like recycled PET plastic, designed to absorb reverberations rather than push them back.

Meta’s Cube is the result of months of experimentation with 10 groups of architects, design firms, and furniture manufacturers, all tasked with developing a new office set-up. The company’s priority was to create an environment that would allow for more focus in the open office, particularly given the increased noise from video calls and other office interactions.

The Cube was not the only option considered; Meta also tested alternating-height partitions, movable workspaces, and semi-enclosed videoconferencing booths. However, some designs lacked functionality as a workplace or failed to isolate conversations. Traditional cubicles were also considered but ultimately ruled out for providing little in the way of blocking noise.

During testing, workers at Meta began personalizing their Cubes to effectively reserve them, bringing in personal items such as humidifiers. The Cube is designed to work with existing desks and can be moved closer or further away from the desk to block noise and provide privacy.

Employers have long struggled to get the acoustics of an office right. The Cube’s soft material, which absorbs sound rather than pushing it back, reduces sound levels by about 20 decibels. The Cube’s panels also block distractions in a user’s periphery, while a visor near the top of a panel lessens glare on a computer monitor.

The Cube’s popularity has led Meta to begin rolling it out to offices worldwide. Its development represents a shift away from the open-plan office and toward a more hybrid era of work that prioritizes privacy and focus. The Cube may just be the beginning of a return to the cubicle, but this time, it’s designed for the modern workplace.