What will office buildings of the future be like? High-profile architecture firms would probably have you imagine tomorrow’s workspaces filled with lots of atria, waterfalls, and indoor landscaping. But beauty is only skin deep! When it comes to functional operations, the most attractive attribute will be how buildings of the future deploy technologies that make offices easier to manage, operate, and communicate with tenants.
At the center of this technological change is connectivity. Yesterday’s “nice to have” is already today’s “need to have.” In the age of high-speed internet access, building owners and developers have shifted the way they prioritize connectivity from an important utility to a necessary amenity for building occupants.
High-speed connectivity has cultivated more sophisticated development of smart buildings and intelligent workplaces. This includes smart devices and sensors that allow owners and building managers real-time insight regarding the health and costs of their property. The sheer speed of the internet has created an entirely new paradigm for building office owners; one that will make buildings safer, smarter, and drastically increase occupant productivity.
So, what does the not-so-distant future hold? Expect four major shifts in office buildings that will not only affect workplace real estate trends, but also the companies disrupting the space.