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Memories of the Office Age 

Memories of the Office Age 

by • Cities, Features, Working lives

memories of the office ageOriginally published in November 2021. No author uses the built environment like J G Ballard. In his 1975 novel High-Rise, the eponymous structure is both a way of isolating the group of people who live and compete inside it and a metaphor for their personal isolation and inner struggles. Over the course of three months, the building’s services begin to fail. The 2,000 people within, detached from external realities in the 40-storey building, confronted with their true selves and those of their neighbours, descend into selfishness and – ultimately – savagery.  (more…)

CBRE reports strong demand for premium office space and record data centre growth in the UK

CBRE reports strong demand for premium office space and record data centre growth in the UK

by • News, Property

the office market is benefiting from strong demand for premium office space and renewed overseas investment, the life sciences sector is seeing steady growth in funding but slower movement in transactions. At the same time, the data centre market is entering a period of exceptional expansionThe UK’s commercial property market is showing sharply contrasting performances across key sectors at the midpoint of 2025, according to CBRE’s latest UK Real Estate Market Outlook Mid-Year Review. While the office market is benefiting from strong demand for premium office space and renewed overseas investment, the life sciences sector is seeing steady growth in funding but slower movement in transactions.

At the same time, the data centre market is entering a period of exceptional expansion, with record levels of take up forecast and new developments extending beyond traditional hubs. The findings highlight how underlying supply constraints, shifting occupier needs and targeted government support are reshaping investment priorities across the country.

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How AI is already changing the world of work

How AI is already changing the world of work

by • AI, Comment, Workplace

AI is already changing the world of work, but not everybody is reacting to it in the same way, writes Laura AndersonAI is rapidly transforming the world of work. That much is clear. Understanding how different generations are adapting to this shift is therefore crucial for any organisation looking to the future.  Our recent study focusing on the generational differences in attitudes towards some of today’s biggest topics sheds some light on what might be driving these trends. Perhaps the most important finding was that nearly two-thirds of Gen Z feel concerned about AI’s impact on their future (only Baby Boomers reported more concern) – even though over half are still using AI day to day. (more…)

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

by • News, Property, Workplace design

The British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are usedThe British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are used, with major implications for developers, investors and occupiers. The report, authored by Nigel Oseland of Workplace Unlimited, shows that the long-standing benchmark of 80 percent office utilisation is no longer fit for purpose. Post-pandemic data suggests a more realistic, but nevertheless conservative, figure of 66 percent equating to an effective density of 15 sq. m per occupant, up from the previous 12.5 sq. m. This recalibration reflects a maturing flexible working model that empowers organisations to right-size their space, reduce waste and enhance employee experience. With high-profile organisations in financial services and the public sector under the spotlight for space misalignment, the report offers timely, evidence-based guidance for the sector. (more…)

Small changes to AI LLMs could cut energy use by 90 percent, claims UNESCO report

Small changes to AI LLMs could cut energy use by 90 percent, claims UNESCO report

by • AI, Environment, News

A new report from UNESCO and University College London claims that relatively minor changes in the way AI large language models (LLMs) are built and used can reduce their energy consumption by up to 90 percent without compromising performanceA new report from UNESCO and University College London claims that relatively minor changes in the way large language models (LLMs) are built and used can reduce their energy consumption by up to 90 percent without compromising performance. The report highlights the growing energy demands of generative AI systems and calls for a shift in approach to make them more sustainable. According to UNESCO, the annual energy footprint of generative AI is already equivalent to that of a low-income country, and continues to rise. (more…)

Commercial property growth in regional cities driven by financial services firms

Commercial property growth in regional cities driven by financial services firms

by • News, Property

Commercial property markets in regional UK cities are seeing significant growth as major financial institutions reconfigure their office strategiesCommercial property markets in regional UK cities are seeing significant growth as major financial institutions rethink their office strategies to focus on high-value client interactions in London while relocating support functions elsewhere. New research from JLL suggests that financial services firms have accounted for more than 440,000 square feet of inward investment in office space across Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham over the last decade. This is more than the space acquired by manufacturing (238,822 sq. ft) and service industries (224,813 sq. ft), though still behind technology, media and telecoms (TMT) and flexible workspace sectors. (more…)

Flexible office market in EMEA enters new phase of growth

Flexible office market in EMEA enters new phase of growth

by • News, Property

The flexible office market across Europe, the Middle East and Africa is shifting into a new phase, according to new data from Colliers. The region’s flex workspace footprint grew by more than 348,000 square metres in 2024, despite difficult economic conditions and reduced capital availability. The firm’s Flexpansion: The Architecture of Agility report charts a 4.4 percent year-on-year increase in flexible space across 46 EMEA markets. The total now stands at 8.3 million square metres. (more…)

WORKS Magazine Issue 14 is here for you

WORKS Magazine Issue 14 is here for you

by • Premium Content, Workplace design

The new issue of WORKS magazine looks at a sector that is reaching equilibrium after five years of uncertaintyThe new issue of WORKS magazine looks at a sector that is reaching equilibrium after five years of uncertainty. We visit exciting new projects in London, Manchester and Zurich; profile a man whose way of talking about the workplace we all echo, even those of us who have never read his work; take a look at the new generation of acoustic meeting rooms and pods; catch up with old friends to discuss the market; host a round table to ask if designers still get excited about office furniture; and there are all the features, comment and news you could ever need.

Data centres are the real powerhouses behind AI

Data centres are the real powerhouses behind AI

by • AI, Comment

For many year data centres have remained anonymous and physically low-key with a light air of mystery and suspicion around what actually happens in these technical boxes on the landscape. Yet, they are so vital to our lives, and this is only set to increase as the players in the datacentre world need to stand up to be counted.The Datacloud Global Congress took place during the first week of June, handily nestled between BCO Milan and London Tech week where the government announced an £86 billion boost to science and tech, with the intention of propelling Britain to world-leading status for research and innovation. These are three events with very different content, yet are also intrinsically linked for progressive and high performance societies and organisations. This was the 20th anniversary of Datacloud Global Congress, the flagship event for the sector – “mipim for data centres” some say. (more…)

Study claims that working from home can significantly boost productivity

Study claims that working from home can significantly boost productivity

by • Flexible working, News

A new study of a large Turkish call centre provides fresh evidence that working from home can improve productivity and workforce diversityA new study of a large Turkish call centre provides fresh evidence that working from home can improve productivity and workforce diversity — though in-person onboarding remains crucial to long-term success. The research, conducted by economists from King’s College London, Stanford, the Paris School of Economics and the EBRD, examines Tempo BPO, a Turkish business process outsourcing company that moved fully remote in 2020. The authors include well-known remote work researchers Nick Bloom and Steven Davis, alongside Cevat Giray Aksoy, Victoria Marino, and Cem Ozguzel. (more…)

AgileAcoustics Unveils hilo.work- the World’s first electric height-adjustable office privacy screen

AgileAcoustics Unveils hilo.work- the World’s first electric height-adjustable office privacy screen

by • Company news, Furniture, Workplace design

AgileAcoustics has announced the launch of hilo.work, the world’s first electric height?adjustable office privacy screen system, which debuted to great acclaim at the recent Clerkenwell Design Week 2025 in LondonAgileAcoustics has announced the launch of hilo.work, the world’s first electric height-adjustable office privacy screen system, which debuted to great acclaim at the recent Clerkenwell Design Week 2025 in London. Crafted and manufactured in West Yorkshire, hilo.work empowers users to adjust screen height to suit focus, privacy, or collaboration, seamlessly adapting acoustic environments in real time. Whether raising screens to reduce noise and distractions or lowering them to foster openness, the intuitive electric system gives individuals control over their workspace. (more…)

Material Matters to move to new venue for 2025

Material Matters to move to new venue for 2025

by • Company news, Events

Material Matters, the cross-media platform promoting sustainable material intelligence in architecture and design, returns to the London Design Festival this September with an exciting new venueMaterial Matters, the cross-media platform promoting sustainable material intelligence in architecture and design, returns to the London Design Festival this September with an exciting new venue. Now in its fourth edition, the fair will occupy an entire floor of Space House – one of London’s most iconic modernist buildings – from 17 to 20 September 2025. Set on a one-acre site, its circular tower and block – designed by Seifert & Partners in the 1960s and formerly home to the Civil Aviation Authority – are Grade II listed and have recently undergone a restoration and modernisation programme led by architect Squire & Partners. The building is hyper-connected, with multiple underground and railway stations, including Covent Garden and Holborn, within easy walking distance. (more…)

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