They did a similar brick thing with Mack's office on KNOTS LANDING when he started his own practice around '86-'87. I assumed it was a way of making him appear more stripped down and "authentic" now that he'd dropped out of the corporate world.
Funny how architecture and office décor seem to cycle around.
In the 1960's, during the space race, we had no down time.
Notice the minimalist architecture. This is an office for working, not socializing. "We're trying to get a man on the moon here, people! No time for chit chat!"
Then the 1970's came around. Collaboration among employees was becoming more necessary and more common. Remember that this was before email and texting, so collaboration was done in person. The idea of Punk Anderson saying, "Let's go down to J.R.'s office and talk about this project" became the norm.
Architecture followed this business model and offices became much more inviting. Notice J.R.'s comfortable chair. Notice the big windows, with the drapes opened up to invite you to admire the view.
Many offices even had mini-fridges and wet bars for the days you worked through lunch or worked into the evening.
The office became a gathering place. A space to get work done but also a space for socializing. What's fun about the offices those days is how much they resembled the living room at the house, complete with the overstuffed chairs and the oversized plant!
