I stumbled across this 75 year-old floorplan of the directors’ floor in a bank.

Life on the directors’ floor looked pretty nice, with the fancy lobbies, meeting rooms, and private dining. But it also looks cut-off from what was happening in the bank, being so removed and isolated from the floors below. How did they stay in touch?

I imagined men ensconced in plush offices with private washrooms and 1930’s office technology, sitting alone in deathly quiet rooms for hours on end. I imagined quiet conversations in the dining room and mail arriving once a day. No email. No instant messaging. No interruptions. It seems so slow, so dull, so wonderfully productive…