In the amenity arms race, are we losing sight of how to build a better workplace?
Zombie bu il dings and the amenity
lfyou'resomeonewithastake incommercialreal estate,youmighthavenoticedthehypearoundoffice amenitiesrampinguplately.Theintemelisburstingwith "must-ha veperks" toinc reaseproperty valueandwin the amenityarmsrace .But inthebattletoluretenants with luxury,a re we losingfocusonhowto bu ildabetter workplace?
Threeyearsafterthepandemictumedlivelyproperties into zombiebuildings,agooddea l ofofficespace remains vacantorunderutilized Andit mightgetworse beforeitgetsbetter:withmorethan 74milhonsquare feet ofleasedofficeandmixed-usecollateralsetto expire in 2024, tenantswillsurelyseizetheopportunity toclaimhigher-qualityspaceonmorefavorableterms Morethanhalfofcompaniespfanto reduceofficespace by30% overthenexlthreeyears
Flight to Quality
There'snodolJbtthattop-tierbllildings inpr me locationshaveanedgeovertheirlesser-qllalitya ndnotas-ideally-locatedcolJnterparts.BlltevenClassA propertiesaren'timmllnetoseismicshiftsinwhereand how work gets done
Upscaleamenities- the moreextravagant_thebette rmight looklikethegold entickettofulloccupancyand premiumrents.Butthenoisearound luxuryseemslobe drowningoutmore importantconversationsaboutthe ro leoftheofficeandhowitcanmeettheverydifferent needsofaposHXlVIDworkforce
39% 1/
oi commercia\ property owners p\an to add amenities \ike fitness centers, tenant lounges , and outdoor spaces over the next several years SoUrCC'
Source: Mom/ngConsultSfateofWorkersreport 2023
AttheTallcklnc.headquarters, theofficeisthestar amenity.
The age of amenitization
The word amenity comes from a Latin root meaning pleasantness or"delightflllness."Assomethingthat providesoomfort,convenience,orenjoyment_amenities havebeenaroundformillennia .Ancie ntRomancities hadpublictoiletsa ndbathhouses.Med ievaltownshad horse stablesa ndvillagegreensforpubliceve nts
Overthepastfewdecades,amenitieshavetakenona newlifeand meaning.Sincetheadventofthem odern office,they'vegonefrom metaltrashcans {top re vent firesfromdiscardedcigarettes)andaircond itioning {introducedinthe1920s) to beehives andpickleball
Amenitize, as a verb, entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2020.
A well - considered workplace is the best amenity
Yes,amenitiesareimportant.Officebuildingswith diversea nddesirableofferingswill probably fare better inacrowd edmarket.Butwethinkawell-con sidered workplace,onethatispreciselytailoredtotheroutines, needs,andprefere ncesof lhepeople whouseit- while stillbeingflexibleenoughtowithstandchange- willbe the starattractionforposHXlVIDofficebu ildings
ThePowerof10+isa planni ng conceptusedbythe ProjectforPublicSpaces to brealhe lifeintourban settings.llhingesontheideathatsuccessfulpublic spacesneedtohavea criticalmass ofcompelling activitiesandfeatu reslodrawpeopleinand hold their attention.lnotherwords, ·irsnotenoughtohavea singl eusedominateaparticularplace_ lnanurbanpfan ningcontexl,thismight looklikea publicparksurroundedbyfoodvendors,afountain,a dogpark,shadyseating,aplayground,andotheractive features .App iedto workplacedesign, this might look likeanofficethatprovidesarangeof mterestingand usefulreasoos foremp loyeestobe there
The res1mercia l trend blendsresidentialandcommercial designtocarveout home-/ikespacesin theoffice Sofas armcha irs,ambientlighting,flexiblespaces,and usingdesigntogivepeopteasenseofsafety,comfort, and belonging_ ln ourownresearch ,we'reexploringthebenefito f home-l ikequalitiesinwork settings.Anecdotally, employeeswitha"homecourtadvantage aremore creative,productive,andhappyatwork.Evensimple interventions likeadj ustab etas k lightingand reconfigurable furnishing s orencouragingemployeesto personalizetheirdeskswithfamilyphotosormementos, couldhaveapositiveeffect
Now thathybridis heretostay,theofficehasan even higherbartoclear.Ma nyworke rsha veadecenthome setup,sowhyshouldtheyspendan hourmthecar just to sitatadiffere ntdesk?A workp lacethat ncreases productivityandmakesit eas1ertoconnectwith coworkers providesva luethathomeofficescan'teasily match Whenitcomestoworkplacedesign.identifyingday-today frictionpointsandfocu singoninlerve ntions to streamlineworkprocesses,addresssourcesofirritation, orprovidesmall,unexpectedmomentsofdelightcango a longwaytowardsimproving theoveral l employee