Birmingham: Creating and curating vibrancy

22-24 May 2024

What we learned from the BCO Annual Conference 2024

It had been more than ten years since the BCO was last in Birmingham and delegates were struck by the remarkable change to the urban fabric since then. Over the course of a decade, the city famously known as the ‘workshop of the world’ has lived up to its name, quietly delivering a number of sizeable new developments. The conference programme offered opportunities to tour impressive examples of such schemes, including Snowhill, Paradise 103 Colmore Row and Enterprise Wharf. Conference Chair, Peter Crowther, emphasised the “big part” that office developments play “in making cities vibrant places that people want to come to”.

The conference programme provided a platform for a diverse and stimulating few days, packed with discussion and thought-provoking debates. During the conference seminars and panels, delegates heard from regional and national experts on fundamental and innovative topics including the power of partnerships in regeneration projects, the impact of social value on lending for developers, and what today’s life science occupier looks like.

Discussions with experts from Google to Arup covered the need to tailor workspace to each of our own needs, including harnessing the power of AI. Meanwhile, Dr Hannah Critchlow, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge, revealed that when people work in the same room their IQs increase. Measuring the brainwaves of BCO President Despina Katsikakis live on stage, she explained, “There’s an interconnected hive mind between us. A brain synchronicity. We need spaces that are intelligently designed to activate our collective intelligence.”

Finally, the conference provided plenty of networking opportunities including the BCO Drinks Reception at the striking Library of Birmingham, and the Conference Party at the Luna Springs.

The BCO’s vibrant NextGen community played an important role in this year’s conference, with 200 NextGen delegates in attendance. As well as chairing seminar sessions, the NextGen committees hosted a series of events targeted at NextGen members, along with networking opportunities.

The Annual Cycle Challenge saw riders assemble in Newcastle before covering approximately 270 miles over 3 days on their route to Birmingham. The emphasis was on socialising with like-minded people from the industry, while riders worked to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity.

For more conference highlights, see the hashtag #BCOconference on the BCO’s social media feeds. You can view the official video and photo album here.

DUBLIN: Resilience and Inspiration

7 - 9 June, Dublin 2023

What we learned from the BCO Annual Conference 2023

The BCO’s 30th Annual Conference attracted over 800 key players from all parts of the office industry to the thriving city of Dublin. The three-day event included an exciting programme of keynotes, plenaries, seminars and tours. The programme emphasised the importance of harnessing the new role of the office to support resilience and provide inspiring places for people and society to thrive. Here are our key takeaways…

Dublin: a city transformed

“Dublin, with its rich architectural heritage, and its remarkable transformation over the past two decades, serves as the perfect backdrop for our conference this year,” said Despina Katsikakis, Conference Chair and Senior Vice President of the BCO. Davina Saint, Director of the Irish National Assets Management Agency, has witnessed the phenomenal growth in the Irish market first hand, and her opening speech focused on how this transformation has impacted corporates. Saint also commented on the value of the office environment in enabling people, particularly more junior employees, to build the ‘social capital’ needed to progress in their careers.

The value of placemaking

Place has always defined the economic value of real estate, but there is now a real recognition that placemaking is essential for offices, cities and communities to thrive. Three major developers – Kevin Nowlan, Hibernia; Brian Moran, Hines, and Niall Gaffney, IPUT – discussed how they have addressed the challenge of balancing the cost of delivery with the investment in creating an experience and generating social value. “You don’t just need money, you need vision,” said Gaffney. Nowlan added, “As a landlord, you must also be a curator.”

Navigating business and politics

Guiding delegates through the maze of recent political and economic upheaval, two expert commentators: Pippa Crerar, Political Editor of The Guardian and Simon Jack, Business Editor at the BBC. The upside? According to Jack, “The good that business can do has finally been recognised.”

Reworking the workplace

Andy McBain, Natwest; Paul Casey, IBM, and Vernon Blunt, Ericsson, formed a panel of occupiers to explore the purpose of their offices within an ecosystem of wider places to work. They discussed how to balance new priorities: attracting and engaging talent, leveraging new technology and data, and delivering ESG targets. Casey commented, “Flexibility has allowed us to recruit people we wouldn’t otherwise be able to hire.”

A new world emerging

Indy Johar called for a radical redefinition of value for real estate, along with fresh approaches to ownership and regulation. “We need to transform the nature of what we think are assets and how we finance them,” he said. He pointed to New York’s High Line as potentially the best real estate deal ever done. A park, that cost £184m dollars to build, and generated £3.48 billion in land value uplift.

The BCO’s response to current challenges

Reflecting the uncertain times in which we are living and working, this year’s seminars took a slightly difference approach. They provided a forum for more intimate exploration of the future BCO research agenda to address the key challenges of the economy, business, technology and ESG and how they impact all aspects of the office sector. Early thinking on each of these themes will be published this summer.

Silicon Docks and beyond

Delegates also had the opportunity to explore the city’s rich architectural heritage, the regeneration of the historic docklands and the headquarters of innovative global companies such as Meta, Microsoft, LinkedIn and Salesforce. We partied at the Guinness Storehouse, which brings to life the history, heart and soul of one of Ireland’s finest exports.

Investing in young talent

The BCO’s fast growing NextGen community played an important role in this year’s conference. The BCO was thrilled to welcome 140 NextGen members – all under the age of 35 – to the event, where they enjoyed a series of dedicated events and networking opportunities, alongside the core programme.

A focus on mental health and wellbeing

Mental health and wellbeing remain front of mind in the world of work, and the wider office sector. Throughout this year’s event, the BCO chose to represent Samaritans. The charity provides free support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Annual Cycle Challenge saw riders cover 280 miles in over 3 days, raising £21,967 for Samaritans. They surpassed the £20,000 fundraising target, thanks to the support of more than 300 individuals.

For more conference highlights, check out the hashtag #BCOconference on the BCO’s Instagram and Twitter feeds. You can view the official photo album here.

Next stop, Birmingham

Next year’s BCO Annual Conference will take place in Birmingham, in Spring 2023. The UK’s second largest city is set for a bold reinvention over the next 20 years. Offices have a pivotal role to play in its growth. Chairing the 2024 Conference will be Peter Crowther, Property Director at Bruntwood SciTech, current Junior Vice President of the BCO.

Tickets will go on sale for BCO members in November 2023 and will be available to the general public in January 2024.

MANCHESTER: Our Time is Now

14 - 16 June, Manchester 2022

What we learned from the BCO Annual Conference 2022 

For the first time since 2019, the BCO’s Annual Conference returned to an in-person event, attracting over 800 key players from all parts of the office industry to the thriving city of Manchester. The three-day event included an exciting programme of keynotes, plenaries, and site tours which informed our discussions. Here are our key takeaways…  

Manchester: one to watch 

With this year’s conference taking place in the vibrant city of Manchester, which has transformed itself into a real cosmopolitan powerhouse, it was important to acknowledge the significance of our host city during the conference’s opening session.  

Joanne Roney, chief executive of Manchester City Council delivered an inspiring keynote speech, expanding on the opportunities that exist in Manchester – be that through science, culture, education, or industry – all affecting the world of offices and relevant infrastructure.   

According to Roney, Manchester has been identified by government as one of three UK innovation acceleration hubs. Delegates heard how 100,000 people are expected to reside in the city’s centre by 2026, with engineering, science and digital jobs expected to be a major driver of that growth. This growth and development will naturally impact the city’s requirements for office space.  

But Roney also acknowledged the challenges that exist for the industry, specifically creating workspaces that respond to the growing needs of occupiers, where the quality of our commutes and surrounding infrastructure become just as important as the quality of our office space, and where high standards of technology and connectivity have become truly essential.  

In Roney’s words: “To create offices that work for collaboration in a thriving city, we have to have to right infrastructure in place - be that through connectivity, digital infrastructure or transport.” 

Future-gazing solutions 

“There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the office sector because of the breadth of what we have to deliver in the near future,” said Chris Oglesby, Chief Executive of Bruntwood as he addressed hundreds of delegates from the main stage during a session about transforming office occupancy.  

Regardless of their profession, background or expertise, delegates agreed that, following the pandemic, we now have an unprecedented opportunity to readdress the role of the office in our lives. But one focus area remains top of the agenda; how can our buildings encourage innovative and fresh thinking, while introducing greener and more sustainable solutions?  

While the pandemic dramatically changed the way we use our offices, and indeed the requirements occupiers now have for their workspaces, the issues of climate change and sustainability remain a key focus for the industry, 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. 

The BCO’s response to recent disruption 

In response to the recent disruption across our industry, the BCO kicked off the conference by releasing a position paper proposing updated key design criteria, as part of its most recognised publication, the BCO Guide to Specification.  

To reflect the BCO’s industry observations so far, these new design criteria for the office sector reflect the acceleration of recent trends, following the pandemic, changes in ways of working and occupancy rates and the ongoing climate crisis and drive to net zero carbon. 

One key element which was discussed, and reflected in the BCO’s recommendations, is office occupancy. With hybrid working, the peak office occupancy in most offices has changed when compared to the most recent BCO occupier density research, carried out in 2018. As a result, the BCO has issued its proposal for a base level occupancy criterion of 10m2 per work setting and a space utilisation of 60% for typical office use. 

The paper was well-received by delegates and external audiences who discussed the BCO’s recommendations throughout the various sessions, including the popular session ‘Debate: Fit for the Future’, hosted by Neil Pennell, Head of Design Innovation and Property Solutions at Landsec.   

These will be included in the next edition of the BCO’s Guide to Specification, expected later this year. 

Investing in young talent  

As we drive innovation and change throughout the office sector, the younger generation of talent will be key to bringing fresh ideas to life for the workplace of the future.  

The BCO is committed to investing in young talent through its NextGen programme and was thrilled to welcome over xx NextGen members – all under the age of 35 – to this year’s event.  

Alongside a dedicated programme of sessions and activities targeted specifically at younger members, this year’s conference offered well-awaited opportunities for face-to-face exchanges and knowledge sharing which left delegates inspired and motivated to drive more change within the sector, across sustainability, technology and wellbeing to name a few.  

Next year, the BCO will host a second event alongside the national conference, specifically for its NextGen members and young industry talent.  

A focus on mental health and wellbeing 

Throughout this year’s event, the BCO chose to represent two key mental health charities, Shout 85258, and CALM.  

With the challenges brought on by the pandemic, including prolonged periods of lockdown and isolation, mental health and wellbeing remain front of mind in the world of work, and the wider office sector.  

As part of this, workplace wellness has become a key focus area as we consider offices of the future. This naturally became a prominent topic throughout the conference, especially as office designers, builders and occupiers explore how our work environment can encourage healthier lifestyles and act as a magnet for the best and brightest talent. 

COPENHAGEN: Arbejdsglæde

5 - 7 June, Copenhagen 2019

What we learned from the BCO Annual Conference 2019

This year, the BCO Annual Conference was hosted in a very sunny Copenhagen. Conference Chair Paul Patenall, founding member and director of U+I, invited BCO members to join him in the happiest city in the world to explore the theme of Arbejdsglæde – the Danish concept of ‘Work Life Balance’. 

1. Less is sometimes more: Day One reminded us that less is sometimes more when it comes to office design. The world of work is far from what it was 30 years ago, where tall rise buildings were filled with rows of grey desks and basic canteens. Offices today aim to amaze and inspire but Paul’s introduction to the concept of ‘Work Life Balance’ highlighted that the UK market should be careful not to lose the high-quality execution of the ‘basics’ that have earned it a world-class status. Set in Copenhagen, home of the open floorplan and the atrium, we were reminded of the value in creating workspaces with ample space and plentiful access to natural light.

2. Collaboration is key: Managing Director of By & Havn, Anne Skovbro, opened our eyes to the transformative powers of collaboration between local and national government. She reminded us that Copenhagen in the 1990s was a city struggling to keep up with a post-industrial world. The City has since managed to recondition the harbour from a polluted site to one where locals can swim and relax - something delegates saw in action thanks to the city’s heat wave. Who knows, perhaps some delegates donned their own trunks and dived in?

3. Waste not, want not: We were inspired by Bjarke Ingels, founder of BIG. The 44-year-old ‘wunderkid’ told delegates how BIG’s work with the likes of Google and LEGO put the focus on offering solutions to the challenges of climate change. Google’s San Francisco campus, for example, wastes not even ‘a photon of light’ by converting daylight into energy.

4. A place for community: Ingels’ spoke powerfully about creating a place for community within private spaces. For example, BIG’s Copenhagen Power Plant development features an all-weather ski slope on its roof, allowing workers to step away from their desk, come together and slalom away their stress. Denmark’s architecture policy quite literally ‘puts people first’ and Bjarke’s plenary, alongside the City tours available to delegates, demonstrated time and time again how commercial office space can be shared with the public for communal benefit.

5. Forgive, don’t forget: A journey through time with futurist Thimon de Jong taught delegates the value of workplace ‘alumni’ at a point of ‘trust crisis.’ It’s more important than ever, he warned, for businesses to get personal and build real relationships with people. At a point when the average European worker spends less than five years with one company, de Jong suggested treating those who leave as ‘alumni’ not ‘traitors’ and even letting them work from their old desk.

6. “We reached peak slide three years ago”: In an incredible closing panel between Carissa Kilgour (Founder, Co.Lab Workplace Advisory), André Spicer (Professor, Cass Business School), Alexander Kjerulf (Founder and Chief Happiness Officer, Woohoo) and Michelle Marwood (Senior Vice President and Head of Global Corporate Services for EMEA & India, Blackstone), delegates were reminded that happiness at work doesn’t come from gimmicks. Bean bags, slides and ping pong tables might look fun, but don’t generate genuine joy.

7. Purpose, focus, progress: Throughout the conference, it was clear there is no one silver bullet to delivering joy at work. However, Spicer felt it came from people finding purpose in their work, being allowed to focus on it and then seeing it progress. Spicer also said workers should have access to shared and private spaces so different working styles and needs can be catered for. Arbejdsglæde it seems, depends on the individual.

8. Brace yourself for a new world order – beyond the workplace: No account of the BCO Annual Conference 2019 would be complete without a spotlight on the Hague vs Verhofstadt Brexit debate. Barely a seat was left empty as the former Belgium Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt MEP, and the former leader of the Conservative Party, William Hague ran delegates through our new political realities. While Verhofstadt lamented the use of the referendum as ‘a bullet in a weapon between the parties,’ Hague warned against the ‘imminent collapse’ facing Britain as politics moves steadily towards smaller, more focused parties. The lesson? Prepare for anything.