Workforce needs

If one thing is certain in the aftermath of the pandemic, it’s that nothing is certain, with polls on workforce trends providing contradictory information. A recent Gallup poll, for example, suggests that only two in 10 remote-capable workers are expected to be on-site full-time in 2023, down from 60 percent in 2019. And yet, workers are returning to the office. In January 2023, office usage increased in 10 major metro areas, rising to about 50 percent of 2020’s pre-pandemic attendance per Kastle Systems, a key card property management company that tracks office building entries. Still, it’s estimated that fewer than 10 percent of employees are in the office five days a week.

Variability

With the expectations of how and where we work continuing to shift, we are clearly not returning to the same workplace that we left. In the past, developers, landlords, owners and corporations could plan their spaces using a basic metric centered on the premise that workers were present in the office according to the standard five-day work week. While workers are returning to the office, attendance numbers and specific days vary — even from week to week — which makes planning for a returning workforce even more challenging. The one constant is there is no one solution that fits all. Instead, there are variable scenarios tied to an assortment of new workforce trends that can accommodate nearly every office environment. 

Flexibility

This is where flexibility comes in. There is not one solution for all real estate portfolios, for an office building with multiple tenants, or even for one company, as optimal scenarios are driven by business goals, assets and their associated workforces. As a corporate and commercial real estate stakeholder, it’s imperative that you determine and implement flexible solutions that consider potential trends, variability and workforce needs to enable success across the spectrum.

Depending on your position as a stakeholder, you have a wide range of potential scenarios and solutions. For example, developers, landlords, owners and corporations may look at different long- or short-term leasing arrangements providing greater flexibility in occupied space. Alternatively, landlords may find that five years in the future, the office space could be best transformed into an alternative use.

As potential scenarios are further defined, it is important for you not to lose track of the workforce. There are as many perspectives on flexibility as there are workers in an office, with views that can make the difference in who returns to their workplace and for how many days each week. The key may be in developing solutions that address common worker needs — which can vary greatly depending on the company and the industry — ranging from providing onsite services such as daycare to establishing multiple, smaller offices in more convenient locations.

We routinely employ scenario planning and predictive analytics to develop processes that bridge the gap between business, people and the built environment. This level of engagement enables us to better understand your workforces, visualize your assets and analyze your real estate portfolios — helping clarify the pros and cons of current and future scenarios and paving the way to make better informed decisions. 

Our professionals recently delivered scenario planning and portfolio optimization services for a global pharmaceutical corporation. Using our planning tools, we analyzed workforce patterns, culture and values while optimizing assets across 4.5 million square feet of space on 11 different campuses.

More and more, we are embedding digital tools such as PreView, SSIM, and ArchTamzero into our planning and analysis, providing for greater predictability and deeper insights in a more rapid manner.

A framework of success

Developing frameworks that allow for rapid scenario analysis is a process, and selecting successful scenarios is a challenge. Working with an expert team of corporate and commercial real estate professionals who understand how to integrate the evolving needs of today’s workforce with critical factors like variability and flexibility will ensure you are making the most of your office portfolio, now and into the future.

Learn about People + Place Advisory (our strategic spaces consultancy)

Learn about Strategy+ (our design-led management consulting studio)

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Organizations around the world are now navigating a new, somewhat daunting task – how to bring employees back to the in-person workplace in ways that are safe, effective and accommodating. While it may not look the same everywhere, leading organizations are leaning into this transition by building in more flexibility and people-centric design into their workplaces. This focus is readying them to remain agile and resilient, no matter what the future brings.

Our global workplace advisory practice lead, Kelly Bacon, and workplace advisory design strategist, Nick Busalacchi, share four key points that every employer must consider in the months ahead.

Purpose-driven spaces

Changes to corporate culture and strategic investments in worker mobility have provided more flexibility for employees to work when and where they want, with many major organizations embracing hybrid work models in which employees can spend part or most of their time untethered from the physical office. This has generated a need to design diverse spaces that are better tailored to the activities workers need to perform. This means incorporating workstations and mobile technologies into the office setting that support workers’ ability to “plug-and-play”; workplaces that optimize collaboration and interaction; and regions that enable workers to move more freely among the spaces outside of the office where they can work, live and play most effectively. In our Sydney office, which is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, an entire floor will be dedicated to fostering collaboration and connection with our clients and each other — all anchored by technology. What’s more, we are aligning the office with our ESG commitments by using recycled furniture and selling excess office equipment, proving that creating purpose-driven spaces does not mean creating unnecessary waste.  

Driving social and environmental value

An indicator of a well-performing workplace is more than just the cost of space per person. Organizations that create truly successful workplaces focus on putting their employees’ needs first to generate positive returns for their company and the community. They are designing workplaces and organizational cultures with wellness in mind, including promoting greater worker flexibility, delivering workplaces that rank high in environmental quality, and extending investments into surrounding communities. The emergence of certification programs such as WELL, more comprehensive knowledge about human behavior, and tech solutions that monitor workplace performance in real-time have made wellness a central component of leading organizations’ workplace strategies.

In addition, investments in “smarter” buildings have made it easier than ever to track performance on factors such as interior environmental quality, workplace utilization, and facility sustainability. Leaders in this space are pairing this data with a sophisticated understanding of their occupants’ needs, enabling them to drive triple bottom line returns.

Organizational resilience

Smart organizations are re-orienting their cultures and their spaces to be more adaptable and resilient toward predicted or unforeseen challenges that the future may bring. These organizations are examining the way they function, working to incorporate agility into their day to day and year over year operations. Nearly 28 percent of large employers are targeting significant footprint changes in the next five years, with another 43 percent undecided.* They are doing so by encouraging greater flexibility for when and where their employees work; re-balancing their real estate portfolios to be more agile to social and economic change; and investing in spaces and systems that drive their missions, while shedding or re-purposing any excess. There is not a one-size-fits-all method or solution—leading organizations are making themselves ‘fit for the future’ by better aligning their businesses with new opportunities for agility.

Enabling systems

The way we work is not only tied to our workplaces, but also to the complex ecosystem of infrastructure networks and cultures that enable and support work and the work environment. Our evolving work structure has driven new demand in areas like transportation and utility systems, which both require a stronger focus on being more robust and adaptable. For example, the re-distribution of commuters across space and time has put new stresses on transit networks, and secure, high-speed telecommunications infrastructure has become an essential component of our increasingly mobile workforce. Regions and organizations that excel in these areas are making strategic investments in enabling infrastructure to support these demands, preparing themselves for future changes and responsibly enhancing experiences in the built environment.

In our increasingly unpredictable world, staying agile in the face of uncertainty will be the key to business success and longevity. This agility begins with a people-centered approach to workplace design and portfolio rebalancing. Organizations that embrace this approach will drive value across profit, people and planet, and create workplace investments that are fit for the future.

Read more about ArchTam’s Future of Work initiative here.

*Mercer LLC.

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Tell me about the University Relations team and how the ArchTam Internship program has been adapted around the coronavirus pandemic.

The University Relations team is comprised of a diverse team spread across the U.S. that focuses on recruiting marketing and branding, leveraging technology and new applications to enhance the efficiency and success of our programs, and creating internship and entry level programming and career development resources. We also have a team of recruiters who are experts in their various segments/industries and cover the geographic regions across North America.

When offices began to shift to a remote working environment at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the University Relations team quickly pivoted to figure out how we can run a successful internship with the new government advise, mandates and regulations in place. We worked with executives and leadership across the business to confirm that they would still be able to sustain their commitments to their interns, and an overwhelmingly large number enthusiastically confirmed their support. We hosted virtual trainings and lunch and learns from sectors across the company, and also had several “social” activities, including a performance by a comedian, a virtual scavenger hunt, and a geographic trivia game.

What are the goals of the program?

Our virtual internship program offers participants the opportunity to:

• Learn about ArchTam, our various lines of business, operating model, mission, values and our unique history​
• Contribute to meaningful work assignments aligned to interns’ course of study​
• Create goals and be provided a final performance review at the completion of the internship​

Over the course of the program, the interns gain real-world industry experience ​through opportunities to network with peers and leadership​ and by gaining a greater understanding of ArchTam’s business objectives, the services and solutions we offer our clients, and the impacts our work has on local communities.

What is the duration of the program?

The formal program ran from June 8 to August 14. There are some interns who will stay on and hopefully many interns will convert to full-time employees over the course of the next year.

What does the virtual summer internship curriculum consist of?

The program is divided into four parts:

• On the Job Experience
  • We offer work assignments that align with the interns’ course of study​
  • We ask that the interns contribute to various projects and client requests​
• Knowledge Acquisition
  • Throughout the course of the internship, we’re continuously teaching the participants about ArchTam, including the firm’s history, operations and clients.
  • In addition, we highlight the impact of the work that we do. For example, we explain how our company’s mission, vision, and values not only impact the communities in which we work, but also influence the firm’s bottom line.

• Networking
  • We placed a heavy focus on ensuring we supported the unique emotional and social needs of the interns during this unprecedented pandemic. We offered a variety of helpful resources by way of the “work from home” kit, virtual social events and dedicated internal platforms to connect and build relationships with other ArchTam interns.
• Performance and Evaluation​
  • To help our interns get the most out of the program, we worked with them to develop and submit goals to their managers at the beginning of the program. ​
  • At the completion of the program, managers completed an evaluation for each intern to assess their performance.

How are the interns and their assigned teams staying connected?

Beyond the typical ways of working remotely – email, conference calls, message platforms, etc. – teams regularly hosted virtual social hours and lunch and learns through Microsoft Teams, we also had a dedicated internal digital employee group to drive collaboration, and each intern had a mentor to guide them throughout the internship. Interns were also encouraged to familiarize themselves with our internal resource tools found on our intranet. This allowed them to be fully embedded on their teams and at the company.

How many interns and employees/teams participated?

The University Relations team, which is a part of our Design and Consulting Services Americas and Construction Management talent acquisition teams, along with several hiring managers and over 350 interns participated in our virtual internship program in the U.S. and Canada.

Aside from conducting the program digitally, what were the main differences between the virtual and in-person internship programs?

Due to the impact of COVID-19, we designed the virtual internship program to place a heavy emphasis on the emotional and social networking part of the program. It was very important to us to prioritize supporting the unique needs of participants in this time of uncertainty. Several components of the program included a remote-working kit, virtual social hours and lunch and learns, dedicated internal digital groups, and a virtual mentor throughout the duration of the program.

To learn more about the future of the ArchTam Virtual internship Program and hear directly from our interns about what they gained from the program, read the second part of this blog series.

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When I started my career as an electrical engineer, the traditional career trajectory was somewhat fixed. In recent years, though, I have observed changes in our industry that have created new roles and ways of working, while developing a more diverse and inclusive environment.

In the early part of my career, I worked mainly on industrial and mining sites — wearing high visibility clothing — designing and commissioning electrical and control systems for mining clients. Later in my career, I discovered new roles in the engineering industry; I managed projects, built teams, and innovated and collaborated with colleagues all over the world to solve engineering problems. Today, I rarely need my steel cap boots; I prefer to wear my favourite fashion flats.

In my current role, as ArchTam’s chief digital innovation officer in the Asia Pacific region, I’m working with our teams to transform our core engineering design services and to create new digital experiences for our clients, and better outcomes for the communities we serve. The new data platforms we utilize allow us to work anywhere and at any time. This flexibility in the way we work is a welcome change in the industry.

When I first joined ArchTam, a very wise engineer with more than 40 years of experience said something that has stuck with me: “As an organization, we have to accept that each new hire changes ArchTam in some way, and that’s something we welcome and celebrate.” This comment demonstrated to me that we have permission to be our authentic selves, to challenge the status quo and to put forward our ideas for the future.

Working with our teams to progress ArchTam’s digital transformation has provided me opportunities to develop, grow and also, in some small way, present a different view of a career trajectory for young women to pursue — or at least think about.

I always like to participate in International Women’s Day campaigns because I remember attending my first International Women’s Day event almost 15 years ago and hearing from the women leaders on the stage about their careers and the importance of networking. Before that first event, I had never considered the importance of networking and I had no knowledge of how to go about it. I am grateful for their insights.

Programs like our Advocate Sponsorship Program, which matches high-performing female leaders with members of our leadership Team, and our broader mCircles mentoring program, are helping cultivate leadership skills for the next generation of women leaders. I really enjoy mentoring and sponsoring women engineers at all levels by helping them to grow their confidence and work toward their goals.

My career path is an example of what’s possible and the different types of roles that women can aspire to — many of which might not even exist yet. For those interested in technology and in creating the solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges, such as our global response to climate change, engineering could be a career for you — steel caps are optional.

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Each March, ArchTam celebrates International Women’s Day globally. Why? Because women’s perspectives, experiences and ideas are critical. In my two decades in this industry, I have experienced both inadequate representation of women in leadership as well as more diverse leadership teams and have seen the difference it makes. I strive to identify and mentor the growing and developing talent in this business, while paving my own path.

In the past year, I took on a new leadership role focused on digital and innovation for ArchTam’s Design and Consulting Services Americas (DCSA). In addition to stepping into this new role, I also joined the DCSA leadership team and am happy to see that several other women joined me at that table this year too. These women lead national business lines and programs, strategy and, most importantly, our people. I could not be more honored to serve beside them. These women raise critical issues and ask important questions. They support and drive productive, meaningful dialogue in meetings so that we discuss issues and hear all opinions on our way to a resolution. It is an incredible experience to look around a room and see women leaders and peers on every side of the table. This is the active and engaged work environment I want and am proud to see at ArchTam.

The ArchTam team at Investor Day

It is no secret that the industry struggles with a lack of diversity, and some sectors, such as coding, are seeing fewer women enter the workforce. However, the evolving industry landscape means that some of the old gender-based power structures don’t apply in emerging fields. Now is the time for people with more diverse backgrounds to establish themselves as experts/leaders in the field. The Digital and Innovation team at ArchTam is working to exert a positive influence on this. We kicked off the Digital Innovation Initiative focused first around celebrating our innovative people and projects. We are working to ensure that our digital and innovation culture reaches every corner of our company and that our staff feel empowered to suggest new ways to solve problems. Internally, we are partnering with our HR Inclusion and Diversity team to develop a joint strategy for inclusion and diversity across the Digital and Innovation initiative.

Externally, our team is assessing opportunities to partner with nonprofits focused on increasing the number of women in STEM fields. I have been involved with the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) throughout my career and have found some amazing mentors through this organization. I am focused on paying that forward by mentoring women inside and outside of ArchTam.

Throughout my career, when I have so often been the only woman in the room, I have found myself gently educating my male counterparts on subconscious biases and generally my insight is well received. Recently, I spoke on a panel, Sponsors vs. Mentors, held at a large regional engineering conference. In response to a question from the audience, I used a few simple examples to demonstrate how meeting interactions often impact women. For example, I mentioned how the suggestions women make in a meeting are often unacknowledged and that several minutes later a man will make those same suggestions. I noted that women are more likely to be interrupted — interestingly by both men and women. I also discussed how many women, especially young women, often do not sit at the tables during meetings — and the impact that could be made if their colleagues invited them to sit with them at the table.

Penn State Transportation Engineering Safety Conference – Mentor V Sponsor panel

Nothing will change if we do not speak up, are not visible and do not take deliberate actions. I believe being a senior-level women in our company who is focused on digital and innovation helps other women within and outside of our company see what’s possible. Being highly visible through social media, conference speaking engagements and visiting our offices and encouraging women to step up also helps to drive gender parity.

Every day I see women taking the lead to bring about a better environment for our clients and for our people. To everyone celebrating IWD this year, should you have the title or just the influence, be the leader that you want to see in this business. That’s what I’m trying to do every single day and I would love to work alongside you.

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Wu writes: “Imagine that two people are carving a six-foot slab of wood at the same time. One is using a hand-chisel, the other, a chainsaw. If you are interested in the future of that slab, whom would you watch?”

The above scenario suggests that biological evolution (the chisel) is replaced by technological evolution (the chainsaw) as the main driver of redefining what it means to be human (the slab of wood). The reason for this being, “the devices we use change the way we live much faster than any contest among genes.” Using the Oji-Cree, an indigenous people of North America, as an example, Wu’s article illustrates how technology can redefine a population.  

The Oji-Cree traditionally led a relatively simple life that was full of exercise, rivalling that of professional athletes. A lot of this was just to survive; from sleeping in tents/cabins, using dog sleds/canoes for transport and hunting for food.

After the 1960s, modern technologies (e.g. internal combustion engine, electricity) were introduced as trucks began making the trip north, and “the Oji–Cree eagerly embraced these new tools. In our lingo, we might say that they went through a rapid evolution, advancing through hundreds of years of technology in just a few decades.” Life became more comfortable as food was easily imported and stored, travelling became less laborious, using motor boats and snow mobiles, and sweets, alcohol and TV were increasingly enjoyed.

“The problem with technological evolution is that it is under our control and, unfortunately, we don’t always make the best decisions,” writes Wu.

With the good came the bad – in just a short time from the arrival of new technologies, massive increases in health and social problems occurred, ranging from morbid obesity and heart disease to idleness and suicide.

Biological evolution is driven by what is needed for the survival and reproduction of a species. Technological evolution, however, is driven by what we want and how easily it comes, and technological evolution is faster than biological evolution at changing the way people live, just as the chainsaw is faster than the chisel at carving a slab wood. The Oji-Cree way of living changed at a rate quicker than their ability to effectively adapt.

Wu wonders: “Will that type of evolution take us in desirable directions, as we usually assume biological evolution does?”

Technology has allowed the world to connect – it has allowed for more efficiency and a greater outreach onto the global market as the world becomes more accessible. For employees, technology gives the possibility of a more flexible working environment, allowing people to work anywhere but still be connected to colleagues. For us designers, it has allowed for more streamlined workflows, through software such as AutoCAD and Revit, which improve project delivery and allow us to work together more effectively.

However, just as with the Oji-Cree, technology can allow things to change quickly, easily and without being questioned. For instance, in the world of social media, applications like Facebook and Instagram can be useful platforms to become digitally connected to the world, enabling connections with old friends, finding out about new things and places, and keeping up to date with current affairs; all from the comfort of your chair.

The problem is that as the world becomes more connected digitally, it may become more disconnected physically. People have become more and more fascinated with updating their Facebook status and following the lives of C-list celebrities getting paid to stay in a house or a jungle. The real/personal experience of being somewhere, being with people, trying new things, is somewhat displaced by the fantasy/distant experience provided by technology. Without that personal input, all you are interacting with is a screen.

I have experienced the tense atmosphere of a title-defining premier league match; the deeply affecting feeling of walking through the Jewish Museum in Berlin; the frenzy of seeing The Prodigy play live. Would you get the same feeling/experience using a screen? I think not.

In the office, instant messaging (such as Lync or Jabber) can be a useful tool to connect instantly with colleagues, particularly when you’re not sure if they want to be disturbed. However, when the person you are contacting is sat very near you, this can add a feeling of distance to your communications. It is easy to let it make you increasingly reluctant to bother with a face-to-face conversation, and I believe we are all, at least occasionally, guilty of this (myself included).

And don’t get me started with Pokemon Go – I must save that for another post.

Wu concludes: “The technology industry, which does so much to define us, has a duty to cater to our more complete selves rather than just our narrow interests. It has both the opportunity and the means to reach for something higher. And, as consumers, we should remember that our collective demands drive our destiny as a species, and define the posthuman condition.”

Reflecting on this in relation to the workplace, the technology available to us should be the means to push the boundaries of what can be achieved. But perhaps it is up to us, the users, to question the current thinking of what is and use the technology to define what could be.

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There are various reasons for the current interest in these areas: the increasing number of people losing work days to mental illness, demographic change, and the lack of exercise for people with desk jobs, to name a few. The discussion is all over the place – every week there are new articles and surveys published. Independent of location, there is one thing that people strongly agree on: the issue of wellbeing must be addressed in order to stay competitive and survive the war for talent.

Considering the possible effects of this, one could easily imagine workplace environments starting to look like wellness clinics – oases of relaxation and calmness. But the truth is, aside from all the talking, not much has happened so far in general. There are a few ideas that have been implemented, but we saw many of them fail in reaching their goal to change employees’ behavior in the long run (for example: free gym contracts, which tend, especially when flexible working is not an option, to be taken up mainly by people who were already using the gym anyway). Where is the big game changer everybody is waiting for?

In recent projects, my team and I have been asked several times by employees’ and workers’ councils about the possibilities to increase health and wellbeing in modern workplace environments. From these discussions, the idea arose of working more closely with the client’s health management department – adding someone responsible for health issues to the project team at an early stage in the project. This practice has already become standard with experts from the IT and HR departments. This action would provide a great chance to implement health and wellbeing measures early on in the change process.

As we know from experience, change in the workplace has a huge impact on the users – whenever we change the environment we also change the way people work. To guide them through the process, we conduct various change management activities with the employees, change agents and leadership, potentially including interviews, focus groups, surveys, workshops and trainings. We focus on the company’s culture and we work with people on the way they think, feel and behave in regard to change – to make the concept work long-term. A change management process this wide-reaching could be something most health/wellbeing implementations are missing. And that is where we see the potential.

To share these ideas with clients and friends we conducted a Think & Drink event in our Munich office in August. Getting the discussion started was guest speaker Wolfgang Pauck, CEO of Healthcare One, who talked about the implementation of their Health Lounge: a combination of measures for social interaction, relaxation and exercise as part of a workplace environment. I really like the idea of the lounge, and whilst I don’t think it will, on its own, solve all the issues at hand, I can easily imagine it as part of future office concepts. It makes health and wellbeing more accessible to people who are not very “sporty” (which is probably the majority of us!) and also represents a very visible, hands-on step by an organisation to prioritise health and wellbeing. Our guests at the event were fascinated with the idea, and how it would be implemented, even more so with the lounge itself – some even tested out the “plate one” unit then and there!

Mr. Pauck’s experience of the implementation of the Health Lounge echoed themes we know well – that the most important factors for a long-lasting change of the employee’s behaviour are to generate enthusiasm at the beginning and to personally involve people in the process over time.

What is your opinion? Do we need workplaces to work harder to foster health and wellbeing? And what can we do to make things last?

Matthias Kollmer (Matthias.kollmer@archtam.com) is a consultant with ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in Munich.

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It seems that many of the architectural trends of the last decade have finally run their course. Ross Wimer, who leads ArchTam’s architecture practice for the Americas, discusses new directions with Mike Consol, editor of the Institutional Real Estate Letter for the Americas, in this podcast.

These icons will be familiar to anyone who has paid attention to design in the last 10 years: the skyscraper shaped like some kind of kitchen utensil jutting out of the Asian or Middle Eastern cityscape (or London for that matter); the branded downtown high rise that puts a company on the economic map of the American or European city; and the ever-present word…sustainability.

Ross discusses with Mike how program, performance, technology, and people are changing the shape of buildings. City and company iconography are still part of the brief, but Ross says that things are moving away from the “willful form making.” Is it as simple as form following function? Not exactly.

As for sustainability, Ross says, “The dialogue is moving beyond the buzzwords, and people are looking at the long-term performance and how you measure it and how that makes for a more positive space to be in.” So quantitative data is critical, but it’s not just about defining a building by its energy meter.

Mike asks about intelligent buildings. Ross notes that “Buildings are always becoming more sophisticated, and the technology is becoming more economically accessible.” But he is more interested in changing building forms in response to their environments than in layering new technologies onto standard forms. Conversely, technology is aiding this process. Ross explains.

Meanwhile for the Tech giants, instead of wowing the city with a skyscraper while everyone works (or does whatever) from home, it’s about the campus that offers employees all the amenities they could want or need, as well as the flexible and creative workplace to keep innovating.

Listen to Ross’s and Mike’s full conversation here.

Ross Wimer (ross.wimer@archtam.com) leads ArchTam’s architecture practice for the Americas.

Jake Herson (jacob.herson@archtam.com) is a senior writer/editor with ArchTam and managing editor of the Connected Cities blog.

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81 Castellana was designed in 1979-1981 by much-respected Spanish architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza, who had already won various prizes including the Spanish National Architecture Award. Our Spanish colleagues described this building with enthusiasm, as an iconic building.

Image: http://www.castellana81.com/

There are many great examples of eye-catching commercial buildings to be found in London, such as the Shard, the “Gherkin”, and the “Walkie Talkie” Tower to name a few. But are they all iconic? An iconic design is a design that is “ground breaking” and that sets new standards in its field. Such design also stands up to the test of time, and can be admired as a good design despite the passing of years, decades and even centuries.

For me, the ultimate iconic office building is the Johnson Wax Headquarters and Administration building of S.C. Johnson & Son, by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Image: http://archidialog.com/tag/frank-lloyd-wright/

Johnson Wax Headquarter and Administration building was built in 1936-1939. It is Frank Lloyd Wright’s interpretation of Art Moderne style, a popular design concept developed in 1930s. Though the Great Workroom is notorious for acoustic problems, water leakage and, most infamously, trapped mice in its glass structure, its beauty and elegance still inspire us designers in 21^st century.

When you love something, you see signs of it everywhere you turn.  Maybe that’s why I see Frank Lloyd Wright’s “lily pads” everywhere. For example, I find the contour of Saarinen Table by Eero Saarinen has a striking resemblance to the lily pad design. I have specified this table for projects in the past, and its timeless elegance has always been appreciated by our clients.

I also saw lily pad-inspired, tree-like objects within the foyer of TMW (Technical Museum Vienna). These ‘trees’ provide seating, shade and acoustic absorption, and also glow at night, filling the room with white and blue light. They are clearly an evolution of Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision – beauty and functionality!

Image: http://www.baunetz.de/architekten/querkraft_architekten_projekte_1333359.html

An iconic design is bound to make an appearance in popular culture. Concept artist Craig Shoji designed an office space for the film Men In Black III (2012) with dark, timber, lily pad-like structures. There is no clear function for these structures in this fictional space, yet one cannot deny that Frank Lloyd Wright’s creation is as visually appealing in this new incarnation, nearly eight decades after the original.

Image: http://filmsketchr.blogspot.ca/2012/05/men-in-black-iii-2012-concept-art-by.html

But should an iconic design always follow a formula of fame and visual appeal? There are many paths to greatness. Let’s come back to our building in Madrid. Is 81 Castellana/Banco de Bilbao Tower an iconic building? Why is this tower considered one of the most important architectural landmarks of Madrid, even though its overall design is perhaps not as dazzling as other Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza creations? Is its design still relevant in the 21^st century?

Banco de Bilbao Tower was a new type of skyscraper derived from Oiza’s functionalism and rationalism. The facades have steel over-hung structure in every floor, which creates a walkway for cleaning windows and provides sunshades against the intense Spanish sun. It also has a continuous glass façade, which provides more than 180° panoramic views from every point in the office floors. This visual expansion softens the impact of the low ceiling height in many of the office floors, while maximizing floor space within the tower. With a rationalized central core, providing continuous unobstructed floor plates, the tower makes open workspace planning easy.

It also has several double-height floors, equally distributed throughout the tower. This vertical strategy offers an opportunity for spaces such as hub spaces, where staff can come together for knowledge-sharing and interactions, making the building attractive for sub-tenancy within the tower.

The choice of materials is equally important to the design. Its ochre-coloured exterior (due to the oxidation of its steel façade) and use of brass as an accent in the interior are definitely a recent design trend. Amongst many design elements, the cork ceiling and wall panels against an exposed concrete structure not only add visual warmth, but also provide superior sound absorption. Furthermore cork is an environmentally friendly, locally-sourced and sustainable material, affording the building additional green credentials.

These factors are key for successful office design. After my initial ignorance towards Banco de Bilbao Tower and the accomplishments of Oiza, I find that the design of 81 Castellana/Banco de Bilbao Tower is still hugely relevant, and feel it deserves the title of an ‘iconic’ building.

 Mariko Takeuchi Raouf is a consultant with ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in London. 

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The Global Cities Indicators Facility (GCIF) at the University of Toronto has for a long time worked with many cities around the world to collect and share data on city-level information that would be valuable for city management. Their global conference held this past May in Toronto brought together several hundred representatives of city governments, architects, planners and academics to explore what is being discovered. As a senior fellow of the Global Cities Institute I was invited to speak at the conference.

Created in 2008, the GCIF provides a set of city indicators prioritized by cities, with a globally standardized methodology that allows for comparability of city performance and knowledge sharing. Beginning with nine pilot cities, the GCIF has now developed into a global network of over 255 cities across 81 countries. Building on these core indicators, this work has evolved into a new ISO Standard (ISO 37120) and the concurrent creation of the World Council on City Data.

The big news about the data that the university is collecting is that it is now able to do so under the imprimatur of an ISO standard. It means that the data are being gathered under clear standards for comparability. The ISO standard provides an enormous boost to the value of such data and will increase the level of interest (and investment) in such data by those seeking to support cities with ‘smart’ urban infrastructure. We can expect to see a huge uplift in intelligent analyses of these kinds of data that will provide a kind of ‘meta’ overview of urban performance. See for example the establishment of the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) in New York, a public-private research center that “observes, analyzes, and models cities to optimize outcomes, prototype new solutions, formalize new tools and processes, and develop new expertise/experts in ‘Urban Informatics’.

I am interested in how this development of a ‘smart city’ movement and the enrichment and availability of data to understand urban performance relates to our own perspectives on work, workplaces, and the city. It suggests that our analyses of workplace data should now be related to wider perspectives on where and how work is happening on an urban scale in new kinds of working environments – some of them public or semi-public, some of them embedded in all sorts of different kinds of environments (residential, social, retail, educational etc.). Many of these new workplaces are mixed-use environments, with work taking places alongside many other kinds of functions and uses. So what are some of the avenues to explore further?

• We know that most office workplaces are grossly under-occupied (average active occupancy is around 43%).
• We know that staff in many organizations are already working in a variety of non-office based places and spaces in cities.
• We don’t have the tools to measure and analyze how this wider network of workplaces is being occupied and used and how it should be designed and provided for in the future.

The smart city movement and the availability of rich datasets from global cities means there is a huge opportunity to explore urban-scale working patterns. I am looking forward to researching and defining new kinds of performance goals for these emerging kinds of networked urban buildings and places.

Andrew Laing (andrew.laing@archtam.com) leads ArchTam’s global Strategy Plus practice.

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