Workspace Design Show London unveils “Connected Realities” installations

Workspace Design Show London unveils “Connected Realities” installations

Workspace Design Show (25–26 February 2026, Business Design Centre, London) returns with a series of immersive installations that bring the show’s 2026 theme, Connected Realities, to lifeWorkspace Design Show (25–26 February 2026, Business Design Centre, London) returns with a series of immersive installations that bring the show’s 2026 theme, Connected Realities, to life. Designed by leading architecture and workplace design studios, these installations explore how physical environments, digital systems, material innovation and human experience are becoming increasingly interconnected in the modern workplace. Together, the installations form a journey across the show floor, inviting visitors to pause, interact, reflect and reimagine how workplaces are designed, experienced and sustained. (more…)

Surface Design Show announces details of speaker’s programme

Surface Design Show announces details of speaker’s programme

The Surface Design Show has announced the final details of its speaker’s programme for the 2026 edition of the show.The Surface Design Show has announced the final details of its speaker’s programme for the 2026 edition of the show. Featuring a range of topics with some of the most innovative voices in industry, the schedule includes an impressive list of industry names including Michelle Ogundehin, Katie Treggiden, Liz Bell, Tim Gledstone, Giles Miller and Justine Fox.  The main stage is designed by Design Command using acoustic surfaces, soft textures and gentle light, with furniture supplied by Table Place Chairs. The design treats silence not as absence but as an active design language, exploring how materials can shape space while creating a pause for visitors to reflect and feel inspired amid the show. The programme will consist of 21 presentations from over 50 speakers spanning the full breadth of the design industry. (more…)

Best in workplace design recognised in 2026 Workspace Design Awards shortlist

Best in workplace design recognised in 2026 Workspace Design Awards shortlist

The 2026 edition of Workspace Design Show has officially revealed the shortlisted projects for its newly launched Workspace Design AwardsThe 2026 edition of Workspace Design Show has officially revealed the shortlisted projects for its newly launched Workspace Design Awards, recognising outstanding achievements across workplace design, innovation, sustainability, experience and adaptability. The shortlisted projects showcase the breadth and depth of talent shaping today’s workplaces across the UK and Europe, from smart offices and large-scale corporate headquarters to flexible co-working environments and future-focused concept designs. (more…)

Surface Design Show 2026 champions the next generation of material innovators

Surface Design Show 2026 champions the next generation of material innovators

Surface Design Show 2026 reaffirms its commitment to nurturing emerging design talent, placing material innovation, sustainability and future-focused thinking firmly at the heart of the show. Through its ongoing partnerships with the Royal College of Art, the Green Grads initiative and for the first time the Emerging Talent category within the Surface Design Show Awards, the 2026 edition highlights a new generation of designers redefining what surface design can be. Across the exhibition, visitors will encounter projects that challenge extractive systems, transform waste streams and place human and environmental wellbeing at the centre of material design. (more…)

Furniture industry invited to explore how sustainability can drive commercial success

Furniture industry invited to explore how sustainability can drive commercial success

The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is inviting furniture and furnishings professionals to attend ‘Making Commercial Sense of Sustainability’, a one-day industry eventThe Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is inviting furniture and furnishings professionals to attend ‘Making Commercial Sense of Sustainability’, a one-day industry event focused on turning environmental responsibility into commercial opportunity. Taking place on Thursday 19 March (11:00am – 4:00pm) at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London, the event will bring together business leaders, sustainability experts, manufacturers, designers and specifiers to examine how sustainability can be embedded into business strategy in a way that supports growth, resilience and long-term profitability. (more…)

Fashion has an unexpected influence on commercial interior design

Fashion has an unexpected influence on commercial interior design

Fashion and interior design have always moved in parallel, reflecting both personal identity and the emerging needs of societyFashion and interior design have always moved in parallel, reflecting both personal identity and the emerging needs of society. For example, corporate dress codes shifted to be more relaxed during the Covid-19 pandemic, coinciding with the increase in remote and hybrid working patterns. This relationship is more visible than ever, as the aesthetics of today’s fashion week runways, and the re-emergence of mid-century design come full circle to influence the look and feel of our commercial office spaces. (more…)

Furniture Makers accepting nominations for 2026 Young Professional Industry Experience 

Furniture Makers accepting nominations for 2026 Young Professional Industry Experience 

The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is accepting nominations for its Young Professional Industry ExperienceThe Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is accepting nominations for its Young Professional Industry Experience. The programme provides aspiring young people working in the industry a unique opportunity to visit sector leading companies and understand all areas of the wider trade, including materials, designing, manufacturing, pricing, marketing, sales and customer service. (more…)

Surface Design Show announces the finalists in its awards programme

Surface Design Show announces the finalists in its awards programme

The Surface Design Awards have announced the shortlist for the 2026 edition. The winners will be announced during the Surface Design Show in early FebruaryThe Surface Design Awards have announced the shortlist for the 2026 edition. The winners will be announced during the Surface Design Show in early February. The awards are intended to champion material excellence and design innovation from the UK and around the globe. The announcement follows a judging day with some of the design industry’s most respected experts deliberating and debating the entries. The organisers of the Surface Design Awards 2026 promise to “uncover and celebrate the very best in design excellence, offering a global platform for ground-breaking projects and product design”. (more…)

Half of firms are still sending unwanted office furniture to landfill

Half of firms are still sending unwanted office furniture to landfill

Half of UK organisations are still sending unwanted office furniture to landfill despite widespread (and apparently misplaced) confidence in their sustainability credentialsHalf of UK organisations are still sending unwanted office furniture to landfill despite widespread (and apparently misplaced) confidence in their sustainability credentials, according to a new report from Business Moves Group. The findings highlight a significant gap between intent and practice in the way companies manage furniture during office moves, refurbishments and wider workplace change The white paper, Furniture futures: sustainable strategies for better workplaces [registration], is based on a survey of 250 facilities and office management professionals across the UK. (more…)

Ninth Workplace Design Conference in Ljubljana to explore positive workplace change

Ninth Workplace Design Conference in Ljubljana to explore positive workplace change

The ninth annual Workplace Design Conference has been confirmed for Thursday, 8 October 2026, with organisers announcing that WDC26 will take place at Ljubljana Castle, one of Slovenia’s most recognisable cultural landmarks. Hosted in the professionally equipped Hribar Hall, high above Ljubljana’s Old Town, the conference will once again bring together an international audience of workplace strategists, business leaders, designers, consultants and solution providers to explore how the design of work environments can support performance, productivity and positive organisational change. (more…)

Life at the coalface: How the agile workplace first appeared in the mid 20th Century

Life at the coalface: How the agile workplace first appeared in the mid 20th Century

agile working began in the coal fields of NottinghamshireThe idea of diffusion of innovation has become so embedded in our culture, and most recently so associated with the adoption of new technology, that we might assume it happens in predictable ways. The steps between innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards seem intuitive and certain even when their peaks might be unsure. And yet history teaches us that sometimes new ideas can take years or even decades to take hold, even when they are potentially world-changing and relevant for the era in which they were formulated. (more…)

Neuroinclusive workspace design – addressing the current industry shortfalls

Neuroinclusive workspace design – addressing the current industry shortfalls

There is one area which is emerging as the next critical evolution in workplace strategy: neuroinclusive workplace designIn recent years, there have been significant developments in making workplaces more inclusive and accessible for a diverse range of individuals. However, there is one area which is emerging as the next critical evolution in workplace strategy: neuroinclusive workplace design. Neurodivergent employees often bring unique strengths in areas like innovative problem-solving, meticulous attention to detail, and exceptional pattern recognition, but many workplaces are still failing to adequately accommodate these individuals. (more…)