Pattern 152
Half-Private Office
Context Intimacy Gradient127 · Flexible Office Space146 · Small Work Groups148
Problem
A workspace that lies fully in the open never lets anyone settle into real concentration; every glance and footstep becomes a distraction. A fully closed office, on the other hand, cuts a person off from everything happening around them and breeds isolation. Between these two extremes, the everyday need for a place that allows both focus and connection often goes unmet.
Solution
Give each desk a partially screened zone — low partitions, a recess, a half wall — that lets someone glimpse the life of the office without lying fully exposed to it, so focus and belonging can coexist in the same spot.
Usage The Shape of Indoor Space191 · Light on Two Sides of Every Room159 · Workspace Enclosure183 · Windows Overlooking Life192 · Sitting Circle185