Since the pandemic sent shock waves through the commercial real estate industry in 2020 and forced the global knowledge workforce into their homes, the office has been a topic of many debates, research and opinion pieces. Even today, as the market settles down, we are still contemplating the purpose of the office.
I listened back to a conversation I had with Molly Cooper for her podcast, Curated Spaces, towards the back end of 2023 to discuss my work on Old Sessions House
One thing that stuck out to me from the podcast was the moment I expressed how I feel about the future of the office.
"The office is Dead; long live the office."
In other words, I believe the pre-pandemic office is DEAD. Yet, a new version of the office will emerge in line with the ever-changing nature of work. This is my central thesis, and it became the basis of the design direction for the workclub @Old Sessions House.
You may wonder what this has to do with the WeWork value 'Tenacious'.
"We never settle. We get shit done, and we get it done well. Be persistent and knock down walls–literally, if you have to. You have our permission."
As I conclude this mini-series on 'what WeWork meant to me' ... I think this value provides excellent insight into my attitude and approach towards improving the quality of office design. The 'flex' market represents only ~10% of the total market, which shows that there are many more 'boring' and 'sterile' office spaces out there than cool ones. The commercial real estate macro backdrop and higher for longer interest rate policy are like a boogie man waiting behind a door to scare owners and operators, respectively.
My next stop is to articulate the thinking behind 'Sessions' and start to share where I think this is all heading... Office Purpose via personality.
Thanks for reading
