Open Space Depression

During the early nineties I was working for Tellabs, a large high tech telecommunications equipment manufacturer. A great company to work for, Tellabs at the time was led by Mr. Mike Birck, one of its founders. We had launched the TITAN 5500, which has gone on to become perhaps the greatest core product in communications networks, and is still part of many of the TDM transport backbones.
Towards the end of the decade, Tellabs built a magnificent corporate office building, a palace paid for by the TITAN 5500. Unfortunately, as the complex was finished and was beginning to be occupied, the 2001 Internet dot-com bubble burst. Two years later, the beautiful complex was only half occupied, and part of the building looked like a ghost town.
These memories were revived thanks to an article onMSNBC titled "Cubicle graveyards disrupting office harmony-Empty workspaces creating morale problem for those who remain." The article reports that "Mass layoffs throughout corporate America have created cubicle and desk graveyards in office buildings from coast to coast. After years of shrinking office space for employees, the recession has brought about a new trend — more room for workers to stretch out.
An ever-growing office void-
The average square foot per office occupant has risen to 435 square feet so far this year, from 415 square feet in 2008, according to International Facility Management Association, or IFMA, in a soon-to-be released report. "There is simply more space per person in the workplace, meaning there are fewer people occupying a greater amount of space, and this is just over the course of a year," says George Deutsch, a spokesperson for the association. "We attribute this to the economic downturn and layoffs our nation is currently dealing with." It’s creating morale problems for employees, not to mention logistical nightmares for companies and the facilities maintenance staff.."