Things are moving fast in central London offices.
The capital’s identity as a thriving international destination, where people want to live and work, is as strong as ever.
If London is to retain its position as a leading world city, one of the most important considerations we’re facing at the moment is how we plan for its growth; according to the Office for National Statistics, London’s population is expected to increase by 13 per cent over the next decade.
It’s inevitable that with the capital’s anticipated population swell, more jobs will be created, as will the need for even more workplaces — much of London is already being revitalised and rebuilt to meet the current demand for attractive, sustainable office space.
To provide for the capital in line with its growth and to better meet the changing needs of clients, we have analysed our experts’ knowledge, which forms the lifeblood of the projects we deliver, to pick out some important trends for the future of London offices.
Rethinking location
One of these trends looks at the need to build out and up to provide for the growing number of workers in our city; developers are already looking at potential sites outside of the city fringe, such as King’s Cross.
The infrastructure of working
If we are to invest in London’s surrounding areas, it’s vital that we help Londoners stay wellconnected. The implication is that developers will need to build near significant transport hubs, something which will come more to the fore with the onset of Crossrail and High Speed 2 (HS2).
Differing demands
It’s vital that we also recognise that tenants are demanding more from their workplaces than perhaps ever before.
While the Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) sector is driving this — recent figures published by the City of London Corporation reveal that TMT businesses occupy almost a quarter of office space in the Square Mile — creative and start-up groups are asking for very different spaces too; dynamic, social, fun spaces aimed at encouraging collaboration.
Sense of place
It’s equally important to London’s tenants and our clients that they’re offered energy-efficient solutions, whether through refurbishment schemes or new office builds.
We’re also noticing that people who fill our offices each day care more for what goes on inside their workplace, rather than how it looks. What people are interested in, with regards to the exterior, is what’s around their office in placemaking terms.
Delivering responsibly
A further emerging trend revolves around creating Tenants in the capital are demanding more from their workplaces than perhaps ever before. They want communal spaces where they can mix and communicate — more like a coffee shop than a structured office environment. adaptable office spaces which also satisfy our sustainability responsibilities: why do we continue to install Category A interiors when an increasing number of new tenants strip them out? It’s vital we work to minimise this kind of waste.
A better use of space
Providing a solution to maximising London’s scarce resources lies not only in building new offices, but also in making better use of the space that our tenants already occupy; our workplace strategy team has an unrivalled global database of building occupancy rates, which typically shows that buildings are empty 40 per cent of the working day.
Changing working patterns
Led by the freedom of Wi-Fi and remote working, an increasing number of sectors are preferring communal office spaces where they can mix and communicate — more like a coffee shop than a structured office environment.
Based on these trends, and in response to the cultural shifts we’re seeing, the following pages offer insight into our thoughts on paving the way for a sustainable future for London’s offices.
