Cubicles with glass always look better than those without glass.
Perhaps this is because we associate glass panels or panel inserts with windows, and windows are standard in most offices. Glass panels, however, represent an enormous price jump over standard laminates, veneers, and fabric panel options. Very few small companies can afford cubicle partitions made completely from glass, and many large companies who can afford them consider them too ostentatious for their corporate culture. Glass office partitions and cubicle panels are generally preferred by companies who see themselves as leading the cutting edge of innovation and who have the operating capital to afford the additional expenditures associated with a definitively upscale, if not futuristic interior design.
For the most part, however, glass panel inserts and sliding doors are far more common than are cubicles made almost completely from glass.
Because glass inserts come in so many different size options and glass types, it is possible for even a modest budget to be able to afford them if workstations are carefully planned and designed in advance. The cost of glass varies according to its thickness, dimensions, and transparency. This opens the door for a nearly infinite variety of variations that we can employ toward your cubicle design that will generate a superior workstation at a price you can still easily afford.
Using fabric panels and less expensive fabrics can create a budget for glass.
There are many panel fabrics that do not even look like fabrics unless you peer at them closely or touch the surface of the panel itself. There are hundreds of color choices and thousands of combinations that can make even the least expensive cubicle look attractive. Keeping the cost of panels as low as possible will leave funding in your budget for glass inserts that can be mounted on the tops of your panels. One local company went so far as to build very inexpensive fabric-covered cubicles and then invest in making them exceptionally private by installing sliding, frosted glass doors. Granted, the cost of these doors was more than that of the surrounding 3 panels, but the project was completed with a budget surplus still in the corporate bank account AFTER installation.
The amount of glass can be minimized and glass inserts can be positioned to allow for maximum light penetration.
Natural light comes into an office through windows. It follows that those workstation panels that face the largest windows in the room should contain more glass than those that do not. In many cases, it is not even necessary to install glass inserts in every panel because the workstations are close enough to windows that a few glass tiles located at or near the top of the panel provide exceptional natural lighting for the entire cubicle interior. This is why you see so many cubicles with glass inserts mounted at the top of the rear panel only.
The type of glass plays a large role in determining its cost.
High-end cubicles often feature panel tiles, doors, and sometimes entire panels made from frosted glass. Many people prefer frosted glass because it lets in plenty of light while at the same time prevents others from seeing into the cubicle interior. Admittedly, such a setup borders on luxury and is only within the reach of companies with larger budgets. However, smaller frosted glass tiles are still within the reach of moderate budgets if privacy is a big concern among workers.
In other instances, however, cubicles with glass can still be very private if transparent glass tiles are used only near or at the top of cubicle partitions. This will allow light to flood the interior from all sides, but it will prevent people passing by from seeing the person sitting inside the workstation. Some companies will use a row of frosted glass tiles mounted at desk level to conceal the employee within, but they will buffer workstation costs by using transparent glass tiles above and below the translucent tiles.
Cubicles with glass can be designed at no additional costs.
Designing a workstation is part of our space planning process, and space planning is always free with Cubiture. If your employees are asking for cubicles with glass, do not assume that they will be too expensive for you to afford. Cubiture is actually a manufacturer that sells direct to the public, and we own our own fleet of trucks and use our own employees to install cubicles in your office. Because there are no middlemen involved in sales or delivery, we can create exceptional workflow solutions at a fraction of the cost of our competitors. Call now, and get started with a free space plan from Cubiture.com.