Search Results for: commercial

Growing demand for homes and lab space may be met by repurposing vacant offices

Growing demand for homes and lab space may be met by repurposing vacant offices

Rather than retrofitting secondary vacant offices, landlords are converting them into homes and life sciences laboratoriesA growing mismatch between supply and demand in the housing and life sciences sectors is fuelling a wave of office conversions across the UK, as developers seek to repurpose outdated vacant offices to meet changing needs, according to a new report from CBRE. According to the real estate firm, the rise in hybrid and remote working has left a significant volume of secondary office space vacant, with many buildings no longer fit for modern corporate requirements. Rather than invest in costly retrofitting, landlords and investors are increasingly exploring conversion opportunities – particularly into residential units and life sciences laboratories. (more…)

Sustainability and wellbeing yet again key themes of South West BCO Awards

Sustainability and wellbeing yet again key themes of South West BCO Awards

Seven office developments across the South of England and South Wales have been recognised as the region’s most outstanding workplaces at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) AwardsSeven office developments across the South of England and South Wales have been recognised as the region’s most outstanding workplaces at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) Awards. Among the winners were three Bristol-based projects, highlighting the city’s growing reputation for innovative, inclusive and sustainable office design. The awards ceremony, held at We The Curious in Bristol, celebrated excellence in office design, fit-out, and environmental performance. With a strong emphasis this year on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), wellbeing, and inclusivity, the judges praised the winning projects for their forward-thinking, occupier-focused approaches. (more…)

Giant digital artwork will Illuminate THE MART’s Facade during NeoCon

Giant digital artwork will Illuminate THE MART’s Facade during NeoCon

A new large-scale digital projection will light up the facade of THE MART during NeoCon in downtown Chicago this summerA new large-scale digital projection will light up the facade of THE MART in downtown Chicago this summer, offering a reflection on the forces shaping the city’s past, present and future. Currents of Chicago, created by architecture and design firm Perkins&Will, will be displayed from 5 June to 6 July as part of the ongoing ART on THE MART programme. Lighting up the building’s 2.5-acre riverfront facade, the work coincides with the 2025 edition of NeoCon (9–11 June), a major event in the commercial design industry. It is the third year in a row that ART on THE MART has timed one of its major presentations to coincide with the NeoCon design fair. (more…)

Regional BCO Awards show how London’s best offices are redefining the way we work

Regional BCO Awards show how London’s best offices are redefining the way we work

The awards recognise excellence in the design, fit-out, operation and environmental responsibility of London's best offices.In a city where tradition meets the cutting edge, London’s office spaces are undergoing a quiet revolution. At the British Council for Offices (BCO) Regional Awards, held today at the London Hilton on Park Lane, seven projects were celebrated—not just for their architectural merit, but for what they reveal about the evolving needs of workers, employers, and communities alike. This year’s winners, chosen from across the capital, signal what the BCO claim is a new era of workplace thinking—where sustainability, community engagement, and human experience carry as much weight as style and status. The awards recognise excellence in the design, fit-out, operation and environmental responsibility of London’s best offices. The 2025 cohort offers more than inspiration; it sets a bold new benchmark for the offices of tomorrow. (more…)

Office fit out costs rise as firms adapt to new ways of working

Office fit out costs rise as firms adapt to new ways of working

A renewed focus on office space comes at a price, with businesses facing rising office fit out and design costsAccording to a new report from JLL, the office sector is again taking ‘centre stage’ in commercial real estate as companies worldwide adapt hybrid work policies to encourage greater in-office attendance. However, this renewed focus on office spaces comes at a cost, with businesses facing rising expenses to design and fit out their work environments. According to JLL’s newly released Global Office Fit-Out Costs Guide 2025, 59 percent of organisations globally plan to increase investment in office space design and fit-outs over the next five years. The report, which analyses data from 68 cities across 40 countries, highlights significant cost variations, key cost drivers, and the growing demand for sustainable office spaces. (more…)

Flexible workspace, cognitive dissonance and lessons learnt from The Shining

Flexible workspace, cognitive dissonance and lessons learnt from The Shining

If you were to take LinkedIn posts as a barometer of market confidence you would get the sense that flexible workspace / coworking is powering ahead. But this initial impression is simply not backed up by the statsAt the start of the Shining, the seminal horror film of the 1970s, the fantastically unsettling orchestral score provides the clue that this happy family of the opening scene is going to end very, very badly. But the key element of the film is the casting of Jack Nicholson in a kind, smiling role as a writer and loving parent – from the minute the camera settles on that jarring smile, it is obvious that something is off. And this is cognitive dissonance – Jack is being portrayed as a loving husband to Shelley Duvall with your nerves jangling and telling you that he is everything but that…… (more…)

UK Government grants Crown Estate new investment powers to drive growth

UK Government grants Crown Estate new investment powers to drive growth

New powers enable the Crown Estate to invest up to £1.5 billion over the next 15 years in sectors such as clean energy, infrastructure, and digital technologiesThe UK government has introduced a new bill to update the Crown Estate Act of 1961 which will grant the Crown Estate new investment powers. Officials claim this will stimulate economic growth and increase returns for taxpayers. According to the government, these new powers enable the Crown Estate to invest up to £1.5 billion over the next 15 years in sectors such as clean energy, infrastructure, and digital technologies. (more…)

Global real estate markets grow (very cautiously) optimistic

Global real estate markets grow (very cautiously) optimistic

The global real estate sector thinks it is close to ending a three-year journey to recovery, with a widely held view that 2025 may breakthrough to a ‘reset point’ or commence a new cycle. Even so, real estate leaders globally are braced for another challenging year of uncertaintyThe global real estate sector thinks it is close to ending a three-year journey to recovery, with a widely held view that 2025 may breakthrough to a ‘reset point’ or commence a new cycle. Even so, real estate leaders globally are braced for another challenging year of uncertainty, with lingering inflation, largely driven by factors including geopolitical instability, and persistently higher interest rates in some regions, potentially delaying a hoped-for recovery in capital markets and occupancy metrics. This is according to the Emerging Trends in Real Estate Global Outlook 2025 from PwC and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), which provides an important gauge of global sentiment for investment and development prospects, amalgamating and updating three regional reports which canvassed thousands of real estate leaders across Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific. (more…)

Forget all the talk of Blue Monday; work is still (largely) good for us

Forget all the talk of Blue Monday; work is still (largely) good for us

blue mondaySo here it is. Blue Monday. Today. Officially the most depressing day of the year. We say ‘officially’, but like the idea of ‘Body Odour’ its common usage hides the fact that it was originally created as part of a PR campaign, in this case one for Sky’s travel channel in 2005. The whole idea of Blue Monday is couched in a pseudo-mathematical equation which includes factors like the weather, levels of debt, time since Christmas, low levels of motivation and, apparently, an unspecified variable known simply as ‘D’. (more…)

Flokk announces new team and expansion for North American Market 

Flokk announces new team and expansion for North American Market 

Flokk, one of the leading seating and furniture makers in Europe, has announced its expansion in the United StatesFlokk, one of the leading seating and furniture makers in Europe, has announced its expansion in the United States with the establishment of Flokk US. As part of this strategic expansion, the firm has appointed a new leadership team to oversee North American operations, including Frederik Fogstad as Chief Executive Officer, Randi Pastrovic as Chief Creative Officer, and Rich Oliver as Chief Commercial Officer. This new team are tasked with ensuring each brand within the business’s portfolio retains a distinct identity while advancing the firm’s growth in the North American market. (more…)

Workspace Design Show reveals first names for must-visit talks programme

Workspace Design Show reveals first names for must-visit talks programme

Workspace Design Show is delighted to reveal the first raft of names who will make up its speaker programme for the upcoming edition in February 2025Now a firm fixture on the design event calendar, Workspace Design Show has revealed the first raft of names who will make up its speaker programme for the upcoming edition in February 2025. Once again bringing the commercial interior design industry’s most inspiring and creative leaders together, the Workspace Design Talks programme features senior figures from architecture and design such as Alessandro Ranaldi, Partner, Head of Workplace Consultancy, Foster + Partners; Helen Berresford, Head of ID:SR at Sheppard Robson and Adrienne Lau, Senior Associate, Heatherwick Studio, Cristiano Testi, Principal Director, tp bennett, and Angela Bardino, Senior Associate Director – Interiors, Jacobs. (more…)

London office market showing unmistakeable signs of life, especially for Grade A space

London office market showing unmistakeable signs of life, especially for Grade A space

The London office market is demonstrating strong signs of recovery, with declining vacancy rates and robust demand for high-quality spaces.The London office market is demonstrating strong signs of recovery, with declining vacancy rates and robust demand for high-quality spaces. Both occupier and investor activity surged in the third quarter of 2024, reflecting renewed confidence in the capital’s commercial real estate sector. Despite challenges posed by elevated supply levels, the market’s recovery trajectory points to a potential upswing in rents and investment activity heading into 2025, driven by stabilising vacancy rates and continued demand for Grade A office space. (more…)