The 1970s saw the rise of open-plan offices, reflecting a shift toward collaboration and flexibility in workplace design. Inspired partly by the German “Bürolandschaft” movement, open-plan layouts replaced traditional, hierarchical setups with large, communal spaces. The goal was to break down barriers, both physical and organizational, encouraging communication and teamwork among employees. These spaces featured minimal partitions, movable furniture, and adaptable layouts, allowing companies to reconfigure work areas as needed. The open-plan design was seen as a modern approach that aligned with the decade’s progressive values, emphasizing equality and innovation. However, the absence of personal offices often led to challenges, such as noise and distractions, which sometimes hampered productivity. Despite these issues, open-plan offices remained a defining trend of the era, setting the stage for future workplace innovations that sought to balance openness with individual privacy and comfort.