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By Emily Smith, COO at Argyll

The new era of office design is now in full swing. From traditional buildings such as 8 Canada Square being given new leases of life as mixed-use spaces, to a recent uptick in Square Mile office retrofits driven by City of London planning priorities, there is renewed confidence in investing in the future office market.

Shifting demands

In central London locations, the appeal of attractive workspaces nestled within well-connected neighbourhoods has long been a draw for boutique businesses. At Argyll, our clients are seeking offices that offer luxury, comfort and first-rate service. The market has seen a flight to quality and traditional office spaces no longer make the cut. Instead, occupiers are looking for spaces that offer a seamless transition between remote and in-person working, and a welcome escape from homeworking.

For instance, Grade-II listed early art deco Michelin House in Chelsea is one of the most popular buildings in our 27-strong portfolio. Originally home to its namesake – the Michelin Tyre Company – a large part of the building’s appeal as a workspace is its distinctive architecture, which includes stained glass windows featuring the Michelin Man, and a rooftop terrace with views across Chelsea. Businesses want both prestigious postcodes and standout surroundings to leverage with clients.

Celebrating heritage

With shifting demands come a new set of design standards. At Argyll, we worked with Damion Burrows of DMBA, to revamp seven buildings in our portfolio to modernise the spaces and create luxury and high-tech facilities.

The Argyll portfolio also includes iconic heritage architectural sites such as 1 Cornhill opposite the Bank of England and Central Court, formerly the London Patent Office in Holborn. The history of each site is something to be celebrated and the role of retrofit in upgrading existing office assets is critical. This is particularly the case given that more than a third of lifetime CO2 emissions of a typical office building have already been emitted upon completion.

When working with listed buildings, extreme care is needed to upgrade them with modern office and sustainability standards. Working with DMBA, alongside sustainability and heritage consultants, we developed a design approach that honoured the existing heritage fabric of the building to meet the new needs of the workforce. From quiet breakout booths for solo calls, to hotel-style lounges for client entertainment, plenty of natural light and state-of-the-art kitchen facilities, modernising touches had to be sensitive to the original, listed features such as mantlepieces and marble columns.

Striving for sustainability

In addition to the transformation of workspaces into sites of comfort and collaboration, there has been growing emphasis on sustainability in building design. Upgrading the EPC ratings of the listed buildings was central to the refurbishment and presented its own unique set of challenges. By implementing considered interventions like updating heating and cooling systems and installing LED lighting, significant improvements can be made to maximise energy efficiency.

In an age where a large proportion of employees can work from anywhere, the office has to innovate to attract employees. It is the responsibility of office providers, architects and designers to create spaces that inspire our workforce.