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Forget Cannes. Commercial property sector hits the North to great effect

Forget Cannes. Commercial property sector hits the North to great effect

Away from London and Cannes, the commercial property sector is holding meaningful forward looking conversationsAn hour or two on the train from that part of the UK that gets talked about most and much better optics for local authorities to chase private investment than the South of France, little wonder the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UK REiiF) proved so popular this year. Over 13,000 attendees descended on Leeds for three days in May this year, a figure all the more remarkable when considering the event only started in 2022 with nearly 4000 attendees, which it nearly doubled the following year. Back to 2024 then and housing was a strong focus but that’s not to say some interesting stories from the commercial property sector didn’t also arise. More →

Four simple ways to embrace neurodiversity in the workplace

Four simple ways to embrace neurodiversity in the workplace

Around a fifth of people have some form of neurodiversity, so it's essential that the workplace is as welcoming as possible It is thought that up to 20 percent of the UK population is neurodivergent and while many companies now are more educated on the need for diversity, many still have some way to go to adapt their workplaces both culturally and physically to ensure these individuals feel they are truly supported, valued, respected and able to the excel in their role. Sadly, a recent study by Birkbeck found that 65 percent of employees with a form of neurodiversity fear discrimination at work, despite companies increasingly recognising the need for inclusivity. More →

Furniture Makers to hold next sustainability event focussed on ecodesign

Furniture Makers to hold next sustainability event focussed on ecodesign

The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is hosting its next sustainability event focussed on the issues surrounding ecodesignThe Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is hosting its next sustainability event focussed on the issues surrounding ecodesign, including the implications of the new EU law, Ecodesign for Products Regulation (ESPR). More →

More content! New themes! New font! Same old team! It’s all there for you in this issue of Works magazine

More content! New themes! New font! Same old team! It’s all there for you in this issue of Works magazine

 

The digital issue of Works magazine is now available for you here. And it's bigger, and dare we say better, than ever.

The digital edition of the new Works magazine is now available for you here. And it’s bigger, and dare we say better, than ever. In this issue: we look back on Milan Design Week and forward to Clerkenwell Design Week; there are no fewer than four projects highlighting the latest design trends and thinking; we present the award winners from the Sustainable Design Collective; explore how biophilia shouldn’t just be about a plant in the office and a picture of field on the wall; set out the most important office trends; consider the always thorny issue of office acoustics and distraction, and showcase a new generation of products that help to address it; catch up for a drink with our friends at Modus; pay tribute to the great Gaetano Pesce; and there’s all the news, launches and projects you need.

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The Furniture Makers’ Company announces Design Guild Mark 2024 holders

The Furniture Makers’ Company announces Design Guild Mark 2024 holders

Innovation of materials, creativity and sustainability are at the forefront of British design as 16 outstanding submissions, from three categories, are awarded the coveted Design Guild Mark in 2024, with three receiving the additional accolade the Jonathan Hindle Prize. The Design Guild Mark is a non-profit award programme that was established in 2008 by The Furniture Makers’ Company to raise the profile of British industrial design and to recognise excellence in this discipline. Over time the Mark has grown from just Furniture to include categories for Interior Design Elements, and Lighting. More →

Senator Group’s Colin Mustoe honoured with lifetime achievement award

Senator Group’s Colin Mustoe honoured with lifetime achievement award

The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, has presented Colin Mustoe MBE with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the office furniture sector of the British furnishing industry. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to a leader who has devoted their life to the furtherment of the furnishing industry and left an indelible mark on the trade. More →

People are spending more time in the office, but no sign of a full return for many

People are spending more time in the office, but no sign of a full return for many

Many of the UK’s tech workers are embracing a structured return to spending more time in the office, according to a new report. According to the survey of 2,000 people from Techspace, there has been a ‘notable shift’ towards embracing structured office time, with Monday to Wednesday emerging as the top choices for in-office workdays. The report claims that this preference indicates a growing recognition of the benefits of face-to-face collaboration and a desire for a more traditional office environment. More →

Marcie Incarico: a tribute

Marcie Incarico: a tribute

We were deeply saddened to hear that Mix Interiors’ board director, Marcie Incarico, had lost her battle against cancer. Marcie was a tour de force, bringing boundless energy and strong leadership to her team. Marcie always strived for excellence, whether working on behalf of her clients or delivering her own company’s products and events. This, of course, was most visible through the Mixology and Mixology North events, where Marcie and the team built on the successful model developed by me and Henry Pugh – a model that put celebration of the industry at its heart. More →

Commercial real estate lending hits ten year low

Commercial real estate lending hits ten year low

New lending for commercial real estate fell 33 per cent last year to its lowest level since 2013, according to the latest bi-annual report from Bayes Business School, (formerly Cass). Researched and written by Dr Nicole Lux, Senior Research Fellow at Bayes Business School, City, University of London, the report also shows that a significant portion (42 per cent) of the £170 billion of loans outstanding will have to be refinanced within 12 months. Dr Lux expects that will cause ongoing stress in the market. More →

Hybrid working era means a boom time for workplace apps

Hybrid working era means a boom time for workplace apps

A new generation of workplace apps, coupled with a choice of settings, help people tailor their days and their experiencesDisseminating information about a building to the people who occupy it has come a long way from a basic, intranet desktop interface with warnings about wet floors or notices about charity fundraising. These days apps promise a much more sophisticated workplace experience, which can be accessed in the palm of your hand. Gartner has a useful definition of workplace apps’ capabilities, stating, “They are used to explore and reserve workspaces, navigate the workplace, find colleagues, plan the best days to attend the workplace, access services and ensure that employees could feel safe in a future post pandemic workplace.” More →

Stress, anxiety and a beamish response to it all

Stress, anxiety and a beamish response to it all

Stress, uncertainty and the medicalisation of dissatisfactionWe now have a policy of not offering ourselves as an outlet for any of the deluge of comment pieces and surveys that are published each year to accompany the various days – and increasingly weeks and months – dedicated to certain conditions like stress and anxiety. They are a gift both to and from the PR industry. This is largely because we cover such issues year round so don’t feel the need to add to the PR feeding frenzy they generate. Whatever you make of the findings of the reports and others like them, even cynics would have to acknowledge they tap into an unmistakable feeling that work is not as enjoyable as it should be. More →

Tentative signs of recovery in UK commercial property market, says the RICS

Tentative signs of recovery in UK commercial property market, says the RICS

The 2024 RICS first quarter monitor for the UK commercial property market indicates tentative signs that the market is moving into a recovery phase, though there is still ample evidence that there remains a challenging backdrop. Higher borrowing rates are holding back investments along with other structural headwinds such as a weak economy, online shopping, working from home (WFH) and environmental concerns. More →