Small but mighty: five compact office spaces
Five of our favourite small-scale workspaces prove bigger doesn’t necessarily equal better.
26/01/2023
3 min read
Mix Roundtable: Post-pandemic, how can the coworking world keep ahead of the curve?
Is now the time for coworking to re-emerge, superhero–like, and obliterate that commute, destroy those traditional working patterns, and completely annihilate the property market as we know it?
03/08/2021
2 min read
Amtico Flooring
UK, Europe and InternationalWe can almost see the finishing line. The worst of the worst pandemic any of us have lived through is (hopefully) behind us. So, what about the future? Are we all ready and willing to be back amongst others – amongst family and friends, maybe, but what about work? What about clients, colleagues and the general public?
We’ve gathered at Amtico’s new London studio to take an in-depth look at this ever-evolving subject and ask a panel of industry experts what the future holds when it comes to coworking.
With more and more major businesses turning to the flexibility and freedom of coworking-style within their own portfolios, what can the coworking occupier and designer do to keep ahead of the curve? The specifiers amongst our guests were in agreement that not only do occupiers need to improve their service levels, they also need to, in the words of MF Design Studio’s Interior Architecture Director, May Fawzy, make their offering really special – going beyond a safe, secure environment. Area’s Group Design Director, James Geekie, agrees that occupiers must consider exactly what their offering is right now, adding that it’s vital that spaces offer a great vibe and improved private working space.
We move on to discuss the idea of large occupiers choosing coworking space over their own HQs – is this the way forward, or just a kneejerk reaction and a fad that will soon diminish? Chris Davies, CEO of Uncommon, tells us that, following a tough year, his business is now seeing a major ‘bounce-back’ and feels that the market has really turned a corner, with end user demand continuing to return, with much of that activity coming from larger corporates.
Elsewhere, our guests ponder what this all means for the property market. Are we going to see major occupiers reduce their real estate, and will easier, short-term leases ensure we have thriving business centres rather than ghost towns? Colliers’ Director, Colin Wood, is perfectly positioned to answer and says that there is a real mixed bag out there at the moment, with some occupiers facing lease breaks and being forced to act, others are sitting back and ‘waiting and seeing’ what happens over the next 12-18 months, while other businesses are doing all they can to encourage people to return to the workplace. He continues by saying that he’s also seen some occupiers looking to increase space post-pandemic, as they look to move away from a high-density approach to a more flexible, collaborative way of working.
Look out for the full discussion, coming soon.
Mix Roundtables
Mix Roundtable: Creating compelling destinations for employees to return to
While some will automatically want to return to the workplace, others will need convincing – and, to convince these doubters, employers will need to offer much more than just a desk, chair and meeting room.
28/06/2021
10 min read
Mix Roundtable: Making great spaces and great places in Birmingham
When ‘unlockdown’ comes, Birmingham workspace will need to meet changed demands from a changed world. We teamed up with Wilmott Dixon Interiors to challenge a group of the city’s leading property practitioners.
22/06/2021
9 min read
Mix Roundtable: The home vs office debate
We bring together the finest industry minds in Manchester to discuss the hottest of topics right now: the home vs office debate – are our homes set to the the new office for the foreseeable future?
26/05/2021
8 min read
Mix Roundtable: The Only Way is Ethics
Should designers and end users alike be pushing to source products that are more local, original and can be proved to be ethical, sustainable and ‘good’?
22/04/2021
8 min read
Mix Roundtable: The power of the inclusive workplace
An inclusive workplace makes diverse employees feel valued, welcome, integrated and included in the workforce instead of isolated. However, it is nigh on impossible to design something that is a perfect fit for the entire population – isn’t it?
06/04/2020
10 min read
Mix Roundtable: Happiness within the workplace
The world has never been so prosperous and yet, it seems, never as unhappy (and we’re not even talking COVID-19 here). Is there now an obligation on business leaders to create a feeling of happiness within the workplace?
01/04/2020
7 min read