The office is once more the place to be, with the home-working shackles of the pandemic cast off. But all is not as it once was; businesses have taken a fresh look at the office and what employees need and expect from it. The result is a ‘flight to quality’ as companies reimagine more engaging, person-centric workspaces. Nowhere is this more evident than in London’s buzzing West End, which is leading the way in contemporary workspace design.
Demand for premium office space in the West End is always high. By the end of 2024, the area could become the first locale in the world to break the £300 per square foot office rental ceiling. That’s according to BNP Paribas Real Estate, which has flagged rising demand and low vacancy rates as fuelling growth in office rents.
Banks, hedge funds and other major domestic and international players in the financial sector are among those driving the growth in demand. JLL reports that the sector led 2023’s Q4 leasing activity across central London, accounting for 41% of total volumes. Overall, leasing activity during the quarter saw 3.4 million square feet of office space transacted.
Ourur commercial interior designers have witnessed the impact of the intense demand for Grade A office accommodation first-hand. Our people-first workspace design approach dovetails perfectly with the flight to quality that firms across the West End are embracing and, as such, our boutique, West End business has grown in recent years.
With demand so high, we have witnessed the impact on workspace design, with companies competing to develop ‘best in class’ office spaces to hire and retain the brightest and best talent. And these people have high expectations. They want that wow factor when considering which company best represents them, and they need to feel it instantly and viscerally when they enter a space.
So, what is that elusive wow factor? Here are some patterns that we see emerging:
This is about an eye for curation, not just design.
The quality of materials finishes and even accessories in this sub-market are disproportionately higher than that found in typical ‘luxury’ office spaces. Unlike other submarkets, the office space forms part of the users’ lifestyle. We spend an inordinate amount of time selecting extravagant fabrics and high-end furniture as well as choosing iconic statement pieces such as art and sculpture. There’s a strong sense of curation, not just creating and designing the space.
The high standards of these offices spaces now reflect the best in lavish homes, restaurants, and even private yachts & jets.
The spaces we create for company owners are often a reflection of them as people. The workspace is an extension of their stature, status, and brand – as much as a luxury watch, car, or couture fashion. We therefore need to understand where they spend time in their private lives, including the best high-end hospitality, member’s clubs, top end restaurants, and of course their own luxury residences, yachts, and jets. The resulting workspace has a ‘home away from home’ feel that mimics how our clients like to live in their own personal lives.
Cutting edge technology is now at the forefront of office planning and takes huge priority both for individual and collaborative work, as well as for office ‘wow’ factor.
In pre-Covid times, technology was an afterthought in terms of office design… but no longer. Our clients place huge emphasis on planning and spending budget on premium technology that allows for efficiency, top quality communication, and high impact reception, collaboration, and town hall spaces.
Long gone are the days of a simple computer, keypad, and mouse desk space. Firms are investing in individual technology stations that are best-in-class, ensuring that the experience for employees is unsurpassed; and their conference spaces now have extensive and advanced technology systems. Multiple screens are now standard, allowing teams to collaborate and review data at the same time. More innovative is utilising a combination of multiple cameras and AI technology to allow remote participants to feel ‘in the room,’ with cameras roving as one’s eye would do, focusing both on speakers as well as the reactions of more passive attendees.
Utilising technology to bring spaces to life is also a recent trend. Clients are featuring LED walls within receptions and office spaces to bring ‘wow’ factor to the workspace. Digital art is not necessarily a new concept, but these walls now combine data with sensors to continually generate new algorithms, thereby constantly changing the artistic presentation.
Specialist technology also adapts to the needs of unique businesses. FX Traders offices have been notoriously noisy. Sound Masking speaker systems give out sounds that actually dampen the noise levels as it moves around the office. Don’t ask me how it works… but our technology specialists work their magic for every individual space requirement.
Efficiency for both mind and body are at the heart of every design.
The people who inhabit these offices tend to work long hours and work to maximise their own efficiencies wherever possible. This is reflected in spaces through top tier amenities such as bike racks, healthy food stations and personal training areas (not gyms!). This increased focus on wellbeing also takes the form of ergonomics, with furniture design taking an important role. We have even been asked to design a ‘black box’ for isolation, meditation, and quiet reflection.
The appeal of the West End is vast. The area encompasses some of London’s most well-known and emblematic locations, with a wealth of amenities for workers to enjoy. This is one reason that demand for iconic, heritage buildings in the West End is so great – and why firms are engaged in a flight to quality when it comes to fitting out these potential-packed spaces. However, as demand continues to outstrip supply, firms wanting to be part of the West End’s future will need to act fast.
What’s next in the West End? Watch this space….
By Trish Watson, Managing Director, Thirdway Interiors