In the amenity arms race, are we losing sight of how to build a better workplace? Zombie buildings and the amenity lfyou'resomeonewithastake incommercialreal
estate,youmighthavenoticedthehypearoundoffice amenitiesrampinguplately.Theintemelisburstingwith "must-ha veperks" toincreaseproperty valueandwin the amenityarmsrace.But inthebattletoluretenants with luxury,a re we losingfocusonhowto bu ildabetter workplace? Threeyearsafterthepandemictumedlivelyproperties AttheTallcklnc.headquarters, theofficeisthestar
into zombiebuildings,agooddea l ofofficespace
amenity.
remains vacantorunderutilized . Andit mightgetworse beforeitgetsbetter:withmorethan 74milhonsquare feet ofleasedofficeandmixed-usecollateralsetto
expire in 2024, tenantswillsurelyseizetheopportunity toclaimhigher-qualityspaceonmorefavorableterms
Morethanhalfofcompaniespfanto reduceofficespace by30% overthenexlthreeyears
The age of amenitization The word amenity comes from a Latin root meaning " pleasantness" or"delightflllness."Assomethingthat providesoomfort,convenience,orenjoyment_amenities havebeenaroundformillennia.AncientRomancities hadpublictoiletsandbathhouses.Medievaltownshad
Flight to Quality
horse stablesandvillagegreensforpubliceve nts
There'snodolJbtthattop-tierbllildings inprime locationshaveanedgeovertheirlesser-qllalityandnot-
Overthepastfewdecades,amenitieshavetakenona newlifeand meaning.Sincetheadventofthem odern
as-ideally-locatedcolJnterparts.BlltevenClassA propertiesaren'timmllnetoseismicshiftsinwhereand
office,they'vegonefrom metaltrashcans {top revent firesfromdiscardedcigarettes)andairconditioning
how work gets done
{introducedinthe1920s) to beehives andpickleball Upscaleamenities- the moreextravagant_thebette rmight looklikethegoldentickettofulloccupancyand premiumrents.Butthenoisearound luxuryseemslobe drowningoutmore importantconversationsaboutthe
Amenitize, as a verb, entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2020.
ro leoftheofficeandhowitcanmeettheverydifferent needsofaposHXlVIDworkforce
~
1/
39%
A well-considered workplace is the best amenity
oi commercia\ property owners p\an to add amenities \ike fitness centers, tenant lounges, and outdoor spaces over the next several years
Yes,amenitiesareimportant.Officebuildingswith diverseanddesirableofferingswill probably fare better inacrowdedmarket.Butwethinkawell-considered workplace,onethatispreciselytailoredtotheroutines, needs,andpreferencesof lhepeople whouseit- while stillbeingflexibleenoughtowithstandchange- willbe the starattractionforposHXlVIDofficebu ildings
SoUrCC'
THREE IDEAS ... to amenitize your office
1
CHANNEL THE • POWER OF 10+
ThePowerof10+isa planni ng conceptusedbythe ProjectforPublicSpaces to brealhe lifeintourban settings.llhingesontheideathatsuccessfulpublic spacesneedtohavea · criticalmass " ofcompelling activitiesandfeatureslodrawpeopleinand hold their attention.lnotherwords, ·irsnotenoughtohavea singleusedominateaparticularplace_· lnanurbanpfan ningcontexl,thismight looklikea publicparksurroundedbyfoodvendors,afountain,a dogpark,shadyseating,aplayground,andotheractive features .Appliedto workplacedesign, this might look likeanofficethatprovidesarangeof mterestingand usefulreasoos foremp loyeestobe there
MAKE IT RESIMERCIAL
2
The res1mercia l trend blendsresidentialandcommercial designtocarveout home-/ikespacesin theoffice Sofas, armchairs,ambientlighting,flexiblespaces,and
• usingdesigntogivepeopteasenseofsafety,comfort, and belonging_ ln ourownresearch,we'reexploringthebenefitof home-l ikequalitiesinwork settings.Anecdotally, employeeswitha"homecourtadvantage· aremore creative,productive,andhappyatwork.Evensimple interventions likeadjustabletask lightingand reconfigurable furnishings, orencouragingemployeesto personalizetheirdeskswithfamilyphotosormementos, couldhaveapositiveeffect
3
THINK • SMALL
Now thathybridis heretostay,theofficehasan even higherbartoclear.Manyworkersha veadecenthome setup,sowhyshouldtheyspendan hourmthecar just to sitatadifferentdesk?A workp lacethat increases productivityandmakesit eas1ertoconnectwith coworkers providesva luethathomeofficescan'teasily match Whenitcomestoworkplacedesign.identifyingday-today frictionpointsandfocusingoninlerve ntions to streamlineworkprocesses,addresssourcesofirritation, orprovidesmall,unexpectedmomentsofdelightcango a longwaytowardsimproving theoveral l employee
Source: Mom/ngConsultSfateofWorkersreport,
2023
,.. Thenextstageofgettingworkersback Productivity consultant Joe O'Connor attheirdesksincludes incentivesand discussesstrategiestooptimizetime consequences, acoordingtoTheNew
asa!imitedresourceinthe "Happ1er
YOfKTimes
atWork"podca st.
NeuroeconomistPaulZak recommendstaking"quickbreaksto refreshthebrain "likewa lking, medilal ing,orevenpausingtolookout thewindow, acCOfdingtoBloomberg