In the Bockenheim district of Frankfurt sits a large glass cube containing modest amounts of what at first sight is merely old wood. A plain office quickly becomes apparent, flat uniform brown desk, simple wooden chair, with only a lamp and metronome for adornment. The craftsmanship is unembellished, the bare modern style, functional but not advanced, simple lines and pure colors. Perhaps the office should be a place that merges comfort and organization, cabinets, drawers, varieties of containing spaces. Chairs with thick backs, adjustable dongles, and, why not, a cup holder. Still there is an intellectual use for simplicity. The glass cube is a monument to Theodor Adorno, German sociologist, philosopher, and public intellectual. That explains the metronome, Adorno was always fascinated by the contrast between popular and studied forms of music. For someone who makes their bread by the rigor, power, and originality of their thought alone a simple, sturdy, and well crafted wooden office can allow escape from bureaucratic demands and the post-industrial burden of complexity.