Well there was the idea of the third picture here: http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2012/3m-privacy-for-your...

It's from an ad for a privacy screen filter, but unlike that, it works the other way around too, blocking out the world.

That's actually been done already: https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/17/panasonics-wearable-blinke...

I have fantasized about draping a thick black curtain around my workstation to try to focus. Do you think that would fly?

We had a guy who used his lifted desk to build a little box for himself (out of carboard)

Improv cubicle... yeah. These are sad times when cubicles are a hallmark of the good old times.

How did the management feel about this?

Let's say 'not well'