Follow the 2022 BCO NextGen London Committee on LinkedIn.
Andy Campbell, Multiplex (Chair)
Hannah Buxton, RX London (Vice-Chair)
Christopher Blust, AKT II
Matthew Redgrove, Turner + Townsend
Isabella Clark, AECOM
Beth Starling, Will+Partners
Oliver Hall, Make Architects
Matthew Sumpter, Ridge & Partners
Andrew Howe, Heyne Tillett Steel
Elizabeth Ward, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Angela Joseph, alinea consulting
Hannah Alden, British Land
Kane Lewis, Derwent London
Jo Al-Hillawi, CO-RE
Alex Novelli, Cushman & Wakefield
Louis Arron, U+I
Emily Pallot, Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt
Holly Breathnach, Great Portland Estates
Chloe Prince, Catella Apam Ltd
Tom Bremner, Cushman & Wakefield
Learn more about the BCO NextGen here.
What is the Human Experience?
The human experience is the holistic experience a person has within a building or space, both virtually and physically. A positive human experience will encourage people to thrive in their workplace. This can have a knock-on effect on the health and well-being of employees, actively encouraging happiness in the workplace, thereby enhancing productivity, and increasing staff attraction and retention.
Through design, we should look to develop strategies which aid in creating valuable connections between people, their purpose and brand. In a post-covid world, we should aspire to utilise occupier-centric thinking to reconnect people, strengthen their sense of collaboration, brand identity and team culture collectively, and create the opportunity for a positive human experience within the workplace.
Focus Area 01: Design Structure
The workplace of the future should be more than just an office in the traditional sense. It should be meticulously considered, particularly at ground level, and in relation to the amenity spaces provided to occupiers. This could include facilities such as showers, adequate and secure bike storage, and locker spaces, all of which are important for supporting a sense of self ownership within the workplace. This in particular applies to more flexible environments, where many companies are moving away from 1-1 desking, towards shared-desking or more flexible hybrid arrangements.
Ground level spaces are key for attracting prospective occupiers to buildings. We should consider what innovative experiences these spaces can provide, which other buildings cannot. This thinking will be key in attracting and retaining businesses/tenants, and for connecting brand culture, community, and identity.
Workplaces of the future should maximise the potential for positive social engagement. This means considering how office structures can contribute to the wider community. We should foster synergy between the workplace and its surroundings, to create spaces which reflect the community existing within. We should also be looking at constructing mixed-use developments which encompass retail spaces, multi-purpose facilities, healthcare provision and activity/fitness spaces, thus creating workplaces which are also destinations within the city.
Focus Area 02: Occupier-Centric
A positive human experience relies on occupier-centric thinking which should be reflected throughout the design stages, during pre-occupation and post-occupation. Effective engagement is integral to understanding brand identity and the community and culture of a team or business, now even more important to facilitate in a post-pandemic context. Questions we should be asking when designing a workplace include: how are the present spaces and systems working? In what areas are they succeeding, and in what areas are there space for improvements?
Pre-occupation engagement is fundamental in the transformation of the existing business model. Design projects become a catalyst for this change, and so it is critical to understand the client’s vision and purpose and be able to translate this into an exciting and inviting workplace design where the positive human experience becomes a driver for motivating staff to return to the office. This means anticipating when occupier engagement should expand and facilitating the creation of soft landings to ease people into the future office. The language we use (particularly during fit-out) should be about the occupier and how they will experience the workplace, rather than centering around the building and property itself.
Focus Area 03: Leadership to create “Team-ship”
New thought leadership drives “team-ship” in the workplace. This focus centers on community, culture, brand, and identity on an internal level. A developed discussion around the experience of corporates over the past two years will be key to understanding how the human experience has been impacted in this area, and for establishing the strategies which are being implemented to re-engage these key areas of a team in the workplace. It is highly likely that many corporates will have experienced the disengagement of departments and teams over the past two years, and so it is important to design spaces which support the revitalisation of team-ship and enhance connectivity. We should encourage and maintain strong team culture and brand identity in an increasingly hybrid world.
We are seeing variations upon trends emerging across multiple projects: the accelerated use of technology to connect those working remotely and in the office; increased break out and social space; greater demand for spaces which provide collaborative opportunities; more amenity space; and finally, a home-like feel. The workplace of the future is already being informed by the lessons learnt and the emergence of new thought leadership styles.
Focus Area 04: Technology & AI
Technology and AI are extremely influential in determining whether the human experience within a space is positive. For example, laptop enabled workspaces encourage flexibility by design. Installing systems which feature integrated technology and support hybrid working strategies (maintaining team culture and brand identity whilst working remotely) signals a step towards future-proofing the workplace. We should also be looking towards constructing smart buildings, featuring environmental sensors which measure and record air quality, lighting, and noise levels and which are adaptable, to support user comfort. The BCO’s Use of Wearables in the Office report goes further and highlights how this data could be paired with data from individuals’ wearable devices to identify optimal physical environments for the individual or collective within the work space. The installation of occupancy sensors which connect to booking systems through building and staff apps can be highly beneficial, with the aim of promoting high impact behaviour patterns for the general wellbeing of occupiers. Furthermore, occupiers should be provided with a thorough guide to using the building/workplace in such a way that will maximise their individual human experience within the space. Evidently, well-equipped AV and physical technology in the modern workplace is essential.
Focus Area 05: Health and Well-being
Supporting health and well-being is pivotal to designing a future-thinking and positive human experience within the workplace. This focus area could be expanded through design concepts and strategies. Establishing which are the most important to a business and which have the most beneficial impacts on the workplace experience will be key. For example, the Park Concept encourages the integration of biophilia and biomimicry, the availability of views, and outdoor spaces in the workplace. Activity Spaces encompass the availability of fitness facilities and gyms, supported by ancillary spaces which encourage building users to get active. The availability of doctors and dentists is also a possibility, and there is the question of whether we should be looking to integrate Healthcare Facilities into the design of the future mixed-use developments to support workplace occupiers. The integration of Mindfulness spaces would offer users a place to destress, rest, or to conduct private prayer. Lastly, the idea of creating spaces which are Versatile and Multipurpose echoes the aforementioned potential availability of fitness spaces but could also be further expanded on, to include social events, arts spaces, and community forums.Workplaces of the future should be vibrant, engaging, productive, and magnetising destinations in the city.
We would like to thank WILL+Partners and the BCO Research Committee for their continued support and research findings.
Follow BCO NextGen’s Beth Starling, Interior Designer, WILL+Partners on LinkedIn.
DISCUSSIONS
This year, discussions will focus on the challenges we all face in this new era of openness, agility and flexibility, placing this in the context of ever increasing environmental challenges.
We will hear from key stakeholders in both development and occupation of buildings, and futurists who will explore the live and ongoing mass experiment we are all engaged in regarding the future of work. Read more here.
TOURS
Our 2022 tours provide an opportunity to showcase the latest in office design and occupation, with focus on regeneration, sustainability, public realm and refurbishment.
There are 17 options to choose between, from Mayfield, one of the leading regeneration schemes in the UK, to Manchester’s Grade I Listed Town Hall, and an exclusive tour inside the dock10 television studios. View the full list.
CYCLE CHALLENGE
This year’s cycle challenge is very accessible to a wide range of riders. The ride is fully supported, with the emphasis being on completing the challenge together, whilst networking and socialising with like-minded people from the industry.
The 3 day ride will leave Sheppard Robson’s Office in Angel on Sunday 12 June and head out through the Chilterns and into Northamptonshire, on through the West Midlands to Cannock Chase AONB, then to Stafford, before making the final stage of the ride to the conference in Manchester. Further details here.
GOLF CUP
Join us on Tuesday 14 June at The Mere, a wonderful Championship Course set in the Cheshire countryside.
The competition will be played for best individual Stableford, full handicap for the BCO Cup, best team, and a competition for both the ladies (17th & 3rd) and gents (7th & 14th) for Nearest the Pin and Longest Drive. Golfers can also compete in the Straightest Drive and Beat the Pro contests.
The day will conclude with a BBQ lunch followed by prize presentations. View the itinerary.
CONFERENCE CHARITIES
Every year the BCO raises money for charity. This is integral to taking part in the cycling challenge, but we also hope that every delegate will take two minutes to donate to one of our two mental health charities this year, either Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) or Shout 85258.
On Wednesday 24 January, up to 40 BCO North members were given an in-depth look at the prime commercial space, situated in the middle of the town’s retail district.
Mersey Innovation Centre has been transformed from a vacant 1960s retail space into a vibrant and sustainable co-working space.
The centre now offers flexible serviced office and coworking accommodation for new start-up and existing small businesses. The revamped space includes a business lounge, shared and individual offices, and shared meeting and collaboration facilities.
The BCO North Talk & Tour event was hosted by Phil Doyle, who served as BCO North Chairperson from 2018–2021 and is the founding director of 5plus Architects. The Manchester-based practice led on the designs that brought the Merseyway Innovation Centre vision to life.
Representatives from Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council presented their wider plans for the town centre, followed by an update on the South Manchester office market by CBRE. There was then a panel debate, including MIC operator Oxford Innovations Space, on the role of the office sector in the future of our regional town centres and high streets.
Phil commented: “It’s great to see Merseyway Innovation Centre injecting new life into a vacant retail space; transforming part of Merseyway to create a dynamic, modern and thriving hub for local businesses and entrepreneurs.
“As ever, the BCO Talk & Tour gave our members and other attendees a first-hand look at how forward-thinking office accommodation can help to repurpose spaces and reposition urban centres.
“We’d like to thank our guest speakers for showcasing their exceptional work and passion for regeneration.”
Formally opened in November 2023, the creation of Merseyway Innovation Centre was made possible through funding from the EU’s European Regional Development Fund (via Northern Powerhouse), Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, and the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Cultural Development Fund.
It is central to the wider regeneration of Merseyway by Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, which includes a brand-new library along with significant public realm improvements that supports private sector office and retail investment.
The BCO North Talk & Tour event was sponsored by TMT.
British Council for Offices researches, develops and communicates best practice in all aspects of the office sector. It delivers this by providing a forum for the discussion and debate of relevant issues. Membership is drawn from those who occupy office space, and those professional organisations and people who design, build, and manage office space. For more information on becoming a BCO member, visit this page.
OUR TIME IS NOW: RESET THE OFFICE
The recent disruption to how we live and work has accelerated a move to alternative ways of thinking about our workplace. We now have an unprecedented opportunity to readdress the role of the office in our lives, and shape how buildings can encourage innovative and fresh thinking, while introducing greener solutions.
The issues of climate change and sustainability are becoming more important than ever, leading to increased scrutiny of the office’s environmental impact. As we look to the future, the entire sector has an important role to play in providing buildings and working environments that are better for our planet.
Our host city: Manchester
Manchester is a city that has helped shape the world. Whether it is in industry, science or culture, this vibrant city has always pioneered new ways of working and thinking and has, in doing so, transformed itself into a modern cosmopolitan powerhouse.
Recast for the 21st century as the original modern city, Greater Manchester has experienced a contemporary resurgence. This was marked culturally by the acclaimed reopening of the Whitworth art gallery, international arts centre HOME, and the world-leading Manchester International Festival. This resurgence also saw a property and investment boom that has outpaced the rest of the country, and through major changes to its governance and infrastructure, Manchester has been positioned as the central focus of the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ agenda.
Young people are flocking here to take advantage of its thriving economy, unrivalled student experience and smart jobs in the science, creative and digital sectors. Greater Manchester is truly worthy of its accolades, as being the UK’s most competitive, economically productive, livable and vibrant region.
As host city for the 2022 BCO Annual Conference, where better to engage with and debate the future attributes of the office, and to grasp this opportunity to re-evaluate and reset?
What to expect?
To slot into delegates’ busy working lives, the mid-week conference will run from Tuesday 14th to Thursday 16th June.
• The conference begins with the BCO Drinks Reception on the Tuesday evening at Manchester Cathedral, one of the city’s event spaces of choice to host rock concerts, fashion shows, brand launches, intimate fine-dining and grand gala dinners over the years.
• The Conference Plenary Sessions will take place at Manchester Central, where we will engage with keynote speakers covering development, occupation, economics, politics and futurists.
• Building Tours will provide an opportunity to see the best in Manchester and gain a glimpse of what is to come.
• The Conference Seminars will provide an alternative option to the building tours, in which we will explore key and emerging topics and trends that influence office design.
• The BCONextGen events programme for young professionals within the sector will provide activities that sit alongside the main itinerary, to add value to the conference experience and encourage greater participation from this important community within the BCO.
• Prior to the conference, the BCO Cycle Challenge will set off from London, arriving in Manchester 3 days later in time for the drinks reception. The event will raise funds for CALM and SHOUT 85258, our partner charities for the conference.
• The BCO Golf Cup will take place at The Mere, a championship course set in Cheshire parkland to the south west of Manchester city centre.
• The Conference Party will take place on the Wednesday evening at Hatch, close to the city centre and conference hotels. Here, we will celebrate within a street environment, enjoying hospitality through pop-ups as well as entertainment into the night.
Manchester, its culture, and all it has to offer will provide the perfect setting for the office community to network, engage with and explore the opportunity we all hold to influence the workplaces of the future. We hope to deliver a truly diverse and inclusive event that offers something for everyone.
I look forward to welcoming you all there on 14th June 2022.
Download the conference brochure
The full programme for the conference will soon be revealed once bookings open on 19 January 2022. As we look forward to welcoming many of you to our upcoming annual conference, Chief Executive of the British Council for Offices, Richard Kauntze shares his motivations for the long-awaited in-person event, which will provide an unprecedented opportunity to revaluate and redefine the role of the office as we know it.
Last year Greater Manchester’s inaugural Green Summit saw the city’s mayor, Andy Burnham outline ambitious plans for a region where “all businesses need to become green businesses”.
As issues of climate change and sustainability are pushed higher up the agenda across industries, including our own, what better city to host the BCO’s next annual conference than Manchester?
The three-day event will provide an exciting opportunity for industry experts to exchange thoughts upon the key requirements for future workplaces, of which creating a more sustainable world will play a critical part.
Although the recent COP26 climate change conference has accelerated the sustainability debate, extended lockdowns had already brought renewed scrutiny of the office’s environmental impact – particularly the carbon cost of commuting and the need to improve energy inefficiencies.
Our sector is already working hard to make offices greener, to drive new technologies and modern approaches to the workplace that can overhaul how Britain constructs, designs and equips its buildings – something which will be crucial to any post-Covid ‘green rebuild’. But, as ever, there is much more to be done.
It won’t be easy, but by working together towards this common goal, I believe our industry, and all the talent it employs, can achieve truly remarkable growth towards a more sustainable future for British offices.
In my mind, the key to success lies in our ability to adapt quickly to new technologies and innovative practices, which I look forward to discussing with you throughout the conference.
Richard Kauntze
Chief Executive, British Council for Offices
The conference is taking place 14-16 June 2022 in Manchester.
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#BCOconference #BCOManchester
With the upcoming 2022 BCO Annual Conference being hosted in Manchester, we sat down with Sarah Syson, the NextGen winner for the North of England and North Wales region, and spoke about all things offices, nurturing young talent and sector innovation.
Sarah is a Warrington-based Associate Design Director at Claremont and was awarded the Rising Star accolade at the Annual BCO NextGen Awards last November, which recognises under 35’s for their achievements within the office sector.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Sarah, so to start: what is the greatest piece of advice you would offer to NextGen candidates in the coming years?
I would tell them, ‘Don’t forget the simple things!’ We tend to work under tight deadlines and dealing with the pressure can be difficult. When you find yourself struggling in these moments, take a deep breath and make a list of priorities that you can discuss with your colleagues. And remember, there’s no such thing as a silly question, so get involved, stay curious, and keep learning!
What is your favourite office development in the North of England?
It’s very hard for me to pinpoint a favourite, with so many outstanding commercial office developments in the region, but if I had to, I would pick the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool. People have a tendency to focus upon newer buildings, but it’s so important not to forget the many iconic buildings that exist in the North! They have personality, charm and character, meaning that we can create memorable spaces for clients. For that reason, the Royal Liver Building, with its fantastic history and amazing views is my favourite.
As a NextGen Rising Star, what is the greatest area of innovation that you foresee affecting the office sector in the coming years?
If I had to guess, I would predict that technologies related to mixed presence digital collaboration will become an even more vital tool for maintaining team connection and fostering innovation. As hybrid working establishes itself as the norm, the desire for immersive environments will only increase. As a designer who puts people at the heart of any scheme, I think it’s so important to focus upon creating inclusive environments. That way, the office can remain a fantastic place for socialising and informal knowledge sharing.
When it comes to sustainability, what solutions would you like to see implemented more in the future?
As we collectively seek to reduce our carbon footprint, it would be great to see solutions implemented that reduce waste, and efforts at re-using and recycling commercial furniture in innovative and unexpected ways.
We look forward to welcoming you to the conference in June 2022. Look out for bookings opening in January.
#BCOconference #Manchester2022
What better way to celebrate the host city of the upcoming BCO Annual Conference in June 2022, than to take a trip down memory lane and admire a previous BCO National Awards winner based in Manchester?
As we centre our 2022 conference around redressing the role of offices in our lives and shaping how buildings can encourage fresh thinking, looking at one example of an outstanding local office is a perfect way to begin our reflection.
Couchbase, a stunning Grade II listed office in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, once an old loading bay and disused space, is now a unique home to the pioneering tech company. The developers transformed the site through interesting design concepts that made amazing use of the space to meet Couchbase’s office requirements, whilst also celebrating the history of the building.
As the home to many exciting growth enterprises, with brands such as WPP, Booking.com, Boohoo and AO.com continuing to expand their local presence in Manchester, this impressive office is just one of the many modern workspaces popping up across England’s second city.
We look forward to welcoming you to the conference on 14 June 2022 where we will talk about more pioneering office examples like this. Bookings will open in January 2022.
It could be you, a design team member, a client, or a subcontractor on the construction site. Mental Health issues and suicidal thoughts can affect anyone. The BCO in Scotland wants to create a lasting legacy that ensures our members – and others in the property and construction sectors – feel safe and protected, in the workplace, on site and at home.
With our membership – and the property and construction sectors generally – being strongly represented by men, who we know are statistically more likely to take their own lives, we know there is an immediate and overwhelming need to signpost help and make sure that people know what help is available.
We are starting a conversation with our Committee members and wider membership about how we can help to prevent suicides. We have begun to approach organisations that offer support to people facing crisis, so we can educate ourselves about the most appropriate way to offer support.
We believe that any future initiative to raise awareness, signpost support and fundraise for these crucial services, should be industry-wide, so we would like to start a conversation within the BCO about how we create a sea-change and support people in their workplace and at any time of need. We would like to link up with others in the industry who have already started this conversation and want to get involved.
To get in touch, contact mail@bco.org.uk.
Rob is principal of Ramidus Consulting Limited. He has over 30 years experience within the property sector. He works with property investors, developers, advisors and policy makers; and he advises corporate occupiers by preparing corporate workplace strategies. Prior to setting up Ramidus, Rob worked for Interior Services Group, Stanhope Properties, Hillier Parker (now CBRE), Debenham Tewson & Chinnocks (now DTZ) and DEGW.
Rob established Ramidus Consulting Limited in 2003 as a specialist built environment research and advisory business. Rob’s research experience has involved projects throughout the property process, from design, to development, to investment, to occupation. His particular interest is in market demand research where he has completed numerous innovative projects. He works closely with investors, developers and policy makers, advising on market trends, occupier needs, investment opportunities, building specification and benchmarking.
Rob also works with private and public sector occupiers on their workplace strategies. He has a wealth of experience in briefing and preparing business cases, and in helping clients align their operational agendas with more efficient and more effective workplaces.
Rob writes and presents widely, having published two books, many articles and a variety of industry reports for the BCO, Corporation of London, GLA, IPF and RICS among others. Having been an active BCO member since its inception, Rob has also written a number of its research reports, including the Occupier Density Study which feeds into the Guide to Specification. Rob will now lead the BCO research committee over the next period as it addresses a rapidly changing market and the longer term impacts of the Covid crisis.
BCO funds its research entirely through membership fees, so Rob is keen to build awareness of its work. Rob said: “The BCO produces research to provide new insights and promote best practice throughout the commercial property industry, so I’m looking forward to working with the committee to deliver this to the membership and wider audience.”
Rob Harris has recently published a book that will surely become a classic of its type: ‘London’s Global Office Economy: from Clerical Factory to Digital Hub’.
Earlier this year, Rob participated in an online discussion with NLA titled ‘All you need to know about offices.’ Here’s what he had to say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BWmF0d0S1Q
Follow Rob on LinkedIn here: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rob-harris-276045a
December 09, 2025 
By BCO Media 