Foster + Partners has collaborated with Brookfield Properties, a leading commercial developer and landlord, to develop a white paper report that looks at the importance of well-designed and sustainable workplaces to build communities and enhance working culture. The findings of the Design of the Workplace report are being presented at this year’s Ecocity World Summit at the Barbican Centre in London. The three-day event includes a workstation installation, co-designed by the two companies, and a panel discussion that centred on the report.
The Design of the Workplace report shows evidence that employers’ credentials in sustainability and, specifically, design of workspaces are non-negotiable amongst future business leaders. As well as being essential to the health of our planet, the findings show environmentally friendly, well-designed workspaces lead to greater productivity, feelings of value and wellbeing. It is the first report in the UK, since the pandemic, that gives a voice to workers and asks them what they want from their office environment.
Dan Scanlon, Executive Vice President Brookfield Properties, said: “Design of the Workplace and our workstation installation at the Barbican in collaboration with Foster + Partners reflects what we are hearing from our occupiers on their strong desire to know how to further reduce their workplace carbon footprint and dial up efficiencies in delivering upon their ESG goals. We are very proud to share our findings in support of both the Ecocity World Summit and all our other partners.”
Dan Sibert, Senior Partner, Foster + Partners, said: “The workplace of the future is about creating spaces that support a greater range of activities and diverse working practices, while focussing on wellbeing and offering people a sense of community. Allied to this is a thorough analysis of the building’s carbon footprint – both operational and embodied carbon. We are delighted to be working with Brookfield Properties to present our findings at this important global conference on ecology and cities.”
Grant Kanik, Partner and Deputy Head of Workplace Consultancy, Foster + Partners, added: “Since Covid, every aspect of a building’s design needs to show how it impacts human health. Workers, particularly younger workers, want to know more about their office environment and have better control over it. This is what office buildings should be delivering.”
The workstation installation at the Barbican Centre showcases the possibilities of sustainable workplace design. The space features furniture that has been designed by ‘Foster + Partners Industrial Design,’ including XYZ, a flexible office system that creates more agile and tailored workspaces; the AYA standing table, made from solid sustainably sourced FSC British grown ash; and the OVO range, which celebrates the age-old tradition of craftsmanship in everyday objects. The installation also includes visual information about the report and building lifecycles strategy.
On Wednesday 7th June, a panel discussion about the report and wider topical issues around sustainable office space, took place in the Barbican Centre’s Main Hall. The speakers included Dan Scanlon, Executive Vice President at Brookfield Properties UK; Dan Sibert, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners; and Natalie Pearce, Culture Designer and Co-Founder of The Future Kind Collective. Yasmin Jones-Henry, Strategist, Placemaker and FT HTSI Journalist, moderated the conversation.
This discussion will be followed by an evening tour of Principal Place, designed by Foster + Partners and developed by Brookfield Properties, with the project architect Dan Sibert and Brookfield Properties’ Dan Scanlon. Principal Place draws inspiration from the industrial heritage of Shoreditch and includes restaurants, bars, boutique shops and a 15-storey office building, providing Grade A space and nearly an acre of roof terraces.
