WORKSPACES AND COMMUNITIES
Work and the people who perform it are intertwined: centuries ago, people worked where they lived, and in many cultures and countries, this is still the case. However, with globalization, ecosystems have changed, and workers began moving to cities for employment.
The pandemic accelerated the widespread adoption of hybrid work and forced us to reevaluate the role of community. The foundation of human connection is rooted in our biology and our evolutionary need to be together, to be included within the tribe.
The place contextualizes the community. People living in small, isolated settlements tend to develop deep community bonds with a limited number of people, whereas those living in large cities tend to form looser connections with a larger number of people and "known strangers."
Physical aspects also shape communities. Facilities such as parks and recreational areas, sports fields, and restaurants contribute to the development of social identification and community ties. Their structures confer symbolism and shape the community, just like workplaces do.
As hybrid work has multiplied job opportunities, the groups in which workers interact have become more varied. The book Reworking the Workplace, written by Nicola Gillen, Lead of Total Workplace, and Richard Pickering, Head of Innovation for EMEA at Cushman & Wakefield, along with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), describes four types of modern work communities*:
Social Communities
The boundaries between the workplace and its surroundings have become permeable. Workers thrive due to their active interaction with external communities. In the past, people went to the office because there was no other choice. Now, people go to cities to work, but also to participate in the wide range of activities that urban centers offer. In this context, external services and places where communities can be created with others become an important component of the value proposition for employees.
Business Communities
The strength of a company comes from a connected ecosystem of suppliers, customers, and competitors. Clusters add value and tend to form as communities of mutual interest. This is for business clusters that focus on small or newly established companies (startups), as well as creative, technological, and scientific enterprises. This dynamic environment is based on a high volume of shared information, transferable human capital, and mutual support. Business communities are not only about creating spaces but also about creative planning and collaboration.
Temporary Communities
Experience-based or project-specific communities can add value as catalysts for innovation or regeneration. Large-scale development projects can take a decade to plan and execute. Meanwhile, the affected areas or neighborhoods may become stagnant. The latest strategies for creating urban spaces with a community focus (also known as “placemaking”) address this issue by introducing temporary uses, pop-up installations, and other activation activities.
It´s necessary to find a balance between creating new opportunities and preserving what makes a place special. The communities that form around these transient uses can eventually evolve into permanent work and social communities.
Regenerative Communities
As uses change and places acquire new purposes, the activation and conservation of new communities generate economic and social benefits. As the work model evolves and sustainability standards increase, the obsolescence rate of office stock is expected to rise significantly. Just as industrial-era factories gave way to service spaces and premises, new uses will be found for obsolete offices.
This transformation is already underway in the retail sector, where we see high-quality, well-located main streets and shopping centers shifting from transactional commerce to experiential commerce. Meanwhile, many secondary retail assets are being repurposed for residential uses. Some retailers are finding new uses for underutilized spaces, such as housing and flexible offices.
The greatest challenge for both society and the real estate sector is to establish, manage, and conserve the new communities that are emerging. Increasingly, as those involved in real estate management take on long-term oversight roles, with ongoing responsibility for buildings, and as we are evaluated based on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, it is crucial to undertake well-considered actions for the creation of spaces and communities.
Factors such as accessibility to the site and workplaces, the opportunities for interaction offered by the spaces, and the availability of nearby services are taken into account. For this reason, it is important to address both design and construction issues, fostering a close relationship between suppliers and clients to meet the needs of each project.
*A copy of the book in its original language can be reserved through RIBA Bookstore and Amazon.