Arup’s Living Workplace report explores the key global trends shaping the future design, utilisation and operation of commercial offices.
From the demise of mono-functionality to reductions in size and scale, the character of the office is being redefined towards a more fluid entity, capable of expanding and contracting on demand. Technology now allows us to work anywhere and at any time. In an economy of knowledge workers where creation of value is no longer fixed to a physical space, we are witnessing an extreme diversification of working styles and patterns. To reinstate the workplace as a destination, employers and developers are experimenting with alternative modes of working. Moreover, offices are being embedded as the beating heart of mixed-use developments blending public space with retail and lifestyle offerings. Now is a critical moment to recalibrate our understanding of the workplace. The Living Workplace considers a broad spectrum of research and trends relevant to this transforming typology, including digital services, emerging business models and workforce wellbeing.