What it’s like to work in the world’s greatest office

The SC Johnson administrative building was Frank Lloyd Wright’s corporate masterpiece. What does it feel like?

SC Johnson’s Administrative Building and Research Tower in Racine, Wisconsin, have become legendary as corporate headquarters buildings. The Administrative Building’s Great Workroom is a stunning example of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s unique approach to office design.

But what did it really feel like? Vox’s Phil Edwards visited the HQ to find out — and try actually working there. He also visited the Hardy House, an earlier Wright design that features many of the same Wright signatures found in the SC Johnson building, from custom designed furniture to ideas about compression and expansion.

Watch the video to see what it really feels like to work in such a space.

Further Reading:
Jonathan Lipman’s book about Sc Johnson is one of the best-sourced and most comprehensive books about the building’s history.

SC Johnson provides free tours of the Administrative Building as well as of Wingspread, a nearby home that Wright also designed.

[Vox]

In this room, there was also corporate hierarchy embedded in the fabrics and materials. Chairs were color-coded by department, and higher ranking executives got nicer wood for their otherwise identical desks. Thanks for watching! —Phil

[jayyork]

The building looks like it would be a really good public library

[zeomora]

As my architecture professor always qoutes: "Architecture is the picture frame not the picture." This is exactly why.

[danycashking]

I think a big part of the "disappointment" experienced is also the fact that before modern laptops work was more tactical and the environment engaging, there is no point in having custom desk drawers that give better access when all your files are pdf's and excel sheets you get with a click. There is no reaching for the desk phone anymore but again just a click on Teams. There is no taking a document package to a coworker across the office but just attach to an email and click send. A great physical environment fails when it isn't interacted with.

[conspickerous]

As an architect, I’d love to hear these kinds of stories. The psychological and emotional effect of the building on its users. After all, we design buildings with people inside it, in mind. The users are part of every design so without them, the building does feel incomplete.

Great storytelling as usual, Phil and Vox.

[meanlittlegoblin]

You've done it. You've summed up Lefebvre's space vs place manifesto. For a space to become a place it needs to be peopled, emotional, create community and imagination. The virtues of this space were its placemaking capabilities - but those are only activated via community, by connection.

[icecreambone]

an important part of this space is that there's a LOT OF SPACE between people. people often take away the openness without realizing you need enough space to make people comfortable

[Petteri]

I really like how there was no forced "but wait" kind of moment. It's an office, a great one but still. Workplaces are really about people and have to be designed around their needs.

[henrynewman]

Frank Lloyd Wright was famous for being difficult - he often designed more for the theory and the aesthetic, less for the actual use. He was so obstinate in the face of requested changes that people eventually just stopped hiring him all together. It is not super surprising to me that this office had so many problems - and in the end, was not great to work in. On a personal note, working in an office where we are all in view of each other and the managers look on from a balcony like hawks would make me freeze.

[Kellinatorable]

In college my go-to study area was the school's natural sciences building. I never understood why I liked to study there so much until I saw this video. My school's natural science building was the only building with natural lighting from the ceiling. It also had some of the compression/expansion concepts. I don't know why, but I felt productive there, even if I was studying by myself

[mementomori]

That column concept also used by Dutch architect, Thomas Karsten, for Pasar Johar (Johar Market), Semarang Indonesia (back in time it part of Netherland Indies). He designed Pasar Johar in 1937 and before Johar, he also applied that column design for Pasar Jatingaleh in 1931. Karsten is humanist architect. He applying the design that usually made for European office, for the natives folk like traditional market.

[e_eyster]

The "Open Office" is only good for certain types of employees. I would crumble in one. Love my cube. Can put in one of my headphone buds and get work done, but still am able to answer questions when people come by and need to talk. Too much interaction when not needed is too much of a distraction (and too stressful) for introverted people

[ResanChea]

The point of the office was it being a shared space. Meant for teams to easily communicate and operate effectively. Since all our work are mostly in the cloud and one device. You didn't use any of it's intended purpose other than being a desk.

[apeekintime]

We look back at "old" design with awe and call it genius far too often. I will agree that most design firms/consultants that product new open office layouts are too worried about aesthetic and not function. I've worked in a few offices and visited far more (my job required travel to client offices) and the open office layouts look impressive. Those open offices often lead to people sitting as far apart as possible to have more "space" since they didn't have cubicle walls that made them feel like they were more secluded. Even in the most open of offices I visited the most important decision maker still have offices. Why? People like privacy. They don't like coworkers, subordinates, or peers overhearing their conversations or judging how "active" they are.

[ssartworks]

Vox always bring something interesting. Offices are usually boring...

[AndrewJQueen]

Should've brought a team with you! Added in co-workers and tried to recreate a small piece of what it was like to work in that space.

[Bugneedfix]

The best office ever is where the company isn’t exploiting your labor

[jtsholtod.]

I had the pleasure of working with SCJ as a consultant for many years, and had numerous meetings in this building. Despite the many leaks, mice in the window tubes and really uncomfortable period furniture (including the three-legged chairs), each visit was a remarkable experience. The group eventually had to move to the Shoop building on the Racine waterfront because of the basement mold.

[Thebreakdownshow]

Turns out the greatest office building is your house. I love the slow trip at the beginning.

[bayani]

They should've interviewed the old workers in that office