January 11, 2024
A new poll from Scalable Software of 2,000 UK knowledge workers claims more than a third (35 percent) resent being told they have to go into the office for a set number of days. Half (50 percent) of respondents say their employer has “productivity paranoia” over employees working away from the office, with 62 percent reporting their organisation has implemented a return to office policy within the last two years. More →
January 8, 2024
Interface has launched its latest Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), Northern Grain. This latest collection from Interface is clean and uncomplicated, designed to brighten spaces across a range of applications, including corporate office, education, and hospitality. With pale shades and clean neutrals, Northern Grain invites and enhances natural light with airy off-white, beige, and cream woods while also setting a quieter foundation with its deeper soft browns and greys, supporting the ‘relaxed minimalism’ trend seen across interior design this year. More →
January 4, 2024
Design Guild Mark are pleased to announce that IDEAS Ltd will be sponsoring the ‘Furniture category’ for the 2024 Design Guild Mark Awards. Founded by Keith Lovelace in 2002, IDEAS is a leading authority in ergonomics and inclusive design for any commercial or public space including leisure, sports, hospitality, healthcare, and education. Keith has always had the philosophy that everything should come under the term ‘Good Design’, meaning that a product has been designed in such a way that it is desirable, inclusive, sustainable, robust, innovative, functional, attractive, and repairable, to name a few – values which are shared by the Design Guild Mark and form the criteria by which each submission is judged. More →
January 4, 2024
Stylex, a design-driven American commercial furnishings manufacturer is the latest acquisition by Flokk, the European office seating and furniture manufacturer. The purchase – expected to close on January 31, 2024 – comes at a pivotal moment, solidifying Flokk’s presence in the U.S. market and making Stylex part of Flokk’s global portfolio of brands. More →
January 4, 2024
A new poll from waste management company Biffa suggests that over four-fifths (85 percent) of UK businesses believe that recycling and waste management are essential in minimising the effects of climate change. Moreover, almost 9 in 10 (88 percent) see waste management as central to being a sustainable business. The survey of over 1000 UK business decision-makers, conducted by YouGov, explored attitudes towards sustainability and the circular economy. The results showcase the clear importance placed on waste management in the battle to combat climate change. More →
January 2, 2024
An idea that has never really gone away, but which seems to be enjoying a new lease of life is the tabula rasa. The conception of people as a blank slate is something that has crept back into mainstream political and social thought for a variety of reasons. Arguably, it is also behind many of the most misleading notions about work and workplace design, perhaps most importantly that a change to some single element or characteristic of a working environment will lead to a specific outcome in the behaviour of people. More →
December 20, 2023
It’s a wrap for our magazines for 2023, and we’ve covered all the bases in the latest issue of WORKS magazine, looking back at some of the best bits from the past 12 months and also looking forward to what we can expect from early 2024. Variety really is the spice of life – and we’ve scoured the country in search of a selection of diverse, forward-thinking and eye-catching new project stories, stopping in Manchester, Lincoln and London. These brilliant schemes include elegant headquarters buildings, innovation-filled tech coworking hubs and even a dramatic racing car. More →
December 18, 2023
As COP28 drew to a close, it gave those attending or observing from around the world the chance to reflect on the global commitments towards building a greener future. The UAE played host to two weeks of debate over climate change as COP28 recently rolled into town. While some questioned this region’s suitability – it being a centre of the fossil fuel industry – perhaps there is an argument to be made that this is exactly where you should hold it – to bring the issues into sharp relief. More →
December 13, 2023
Climate finance was central to discussions at COP28 in Dubai and funding to reach net zero and restore biodiversity is still falling short. A new report from the World Economic Forum highlights the priorities for action and sets out how partnerships between organisations from the philanthropic, private and public sectors can create what it refers to as a positive domino effect, cut emissions at speed. More →
December 10, 2023
New analysis published by UKGBC during the COP28 talks concludes that the UK’s built environment is severely under-equipped to adapt to our changing climate. On five out of seven critical climate resilience priorities, UKGBC’s scorecard finds that the Government policies in its Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) are insufficient, flawed, or missing, placing millions of homes and buildings – and the lives of people occupying them – at serious risk of damage from climate-related disaster. More →
December 8, 2023
Corporate culture has fundamentally changed since the pandemic and with it, so has the way employees interact with the office. This has put leaders under pressure to create experiences for employees that complement, and in some ways even compete with, the comforts of home. Organisations now understand the immense potential for sustainable, inclusive office design, and people-centric real estate strategies to drive positive change and fuel growth. More →
December 16, 2023
Hybrid working: the importance of having the right strategy
by Andrew Mawson • Comment, Flexible working