A satirical architecture award has drawn attention to what its organisers describe as some of the UK’s most problematic recent property developments, with judges arguing that concerns about design quality are increasingly linked to broader issues around procurement, construction standards and development priorities. The Carbuncle Cup 2026, organised by cultural magazine The Fence [subscription], named two joint winners from a shortlist of nine projects completed within the past two years. The award, which seeks to identify the country’s worst new building, was based on public nominations and assessed by a panel including former Architectural Review editor Cath Slessor. (more…)

Prime office rents in the City of London have continued to rise, bringing them closer to levels traditionally associated with the capital’s West End as demand for high quality workspace outpaces supply. New figures from Savills show that average prime rents in the City reached £130.80 per square foot during the first quarter of 2026. By comparison, prime rents in the West End stood at £165 per square foot. The West End of London is typically one of the most expensive markets in the world.  The figures are based on the top 10 percent of Grade A office rents recorded during the period. (more…)

Resilience, not scale or speed, will define the next phase of corporate real estate strategy across EMEA, as occupiers face a convergence of pressures reshaping how and where they operate. A new report from Colliers, Building Resilience: 5 Megatrends Redefining Corporate Real Estate, identifies five long-term megatrends – AI-enabled workforces, demographic shifts, energy scarcity, climate risk and a shifting global order – that are fundamentally changing how organisations choose locations, design workplaces and manage risk. While the full impact will play out over time, many companies remain underprepared for the scale of disruption. (more…)