[Published December 2010 and last updated September 2024] Our idea of what constitutes a functioning and well-equipped office is changing dramatically. It could even be thought of as entering a brave new world, participants of a wide-ranging debate have recently suggested.
The British Council of Offices (BCO) recently brought together a group of leading experts on the subject, and most concluded that the industry is entering entirely uncharted territory.
With the rise in popularity of managed offices, serviced offices, and virtual offices in the UK and elsewhere, along with the increasing prevalence of integrated communication technologies, the traditionally conceived rented office is becoming less and less the norm for businesses worldwide.
Nevertheless, the BCO’s panel presented strong evidence that office space of various sorts remains very much in demand worldwide. The panel maintained that one of the primary challenges for developers is to ensure that all the latest technology is readily available and easy to access.
Outlining some key points from its recent debate, the BCO said that “both sides agreed that the traditional definition of an office is no longer relevant and the whole concept of an office is changing”.
It was also noted that for many small- to medium-sized businesses and start-up companies, a strong online presence will often take precedence over having a brick-and-mortar office space from which to operate.
During the recent debate provocatively titled “Is The Office Dead?”, the chair of the BCO’s research committee, Mat Oakley and Ken Giannini from the architect firm Scott Brownrigg expressed their views.
Facilitating discussion and debate within the office space sector in the UK is among the primary goals of the BCO, which was established 30 years ago and now has regional chapters in Wales, the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland.
Editor’s notes: In September 2024, the BCO announced that Alex Stork had been appointed as the new chair of its Northern chapter, taking over from Jon Moister, who held the role since the end of 2021.