Featured insights
better world report 2024
MILLERKNOLL
This report is a record of the good MillerKnoll has done over the past few years. MillerKnoll published it as an overview of their Company’s performance, strategy, goals, and metrics related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues that are important to their stakeholders and business.
FUTURE OF WORK
GENSLER
Your office space, your local hospital, your kid’s preschool, and your nearest airport all share several common building materials, from carpet and drywall to ceiling tiles and textiles. The composition of these products can significantly impact whether the environment is healthy or potentially harmful for you and those who manufactured them.
JLL
Despite the tight labor markets, the recent mass layoffs in several industries and the rise of AI and automation, survey respondents feel positive about the future. 64% expect their headcount to increase by 2030. But a rebalancing of skills is also taking place, as employers are looking to recruit the right profiles that will enable them to be future-fit.
GENSLER
Today’s workers need two things: an effective workplace and a great work experience. Employees need a functional and effective workplace that supports how they work. Providing a variety of work settings to work in-person with others, for hybrid meetings, and for work requiring high-concentration is essential and the foundation of a good workplace.
GENSLER
Belonging is more than a concept — it’s the foundation for a new era of design with the potential to transform spaces far beyond the workplace. Schools, hospitals, senior living facilities, and public spaces can all be transformed for the better by recognizing belonging as an indispensable design currency.
RETURN TO OFFICE
GENSLER
Companies are recognizing the vital role that wellness communication strategies play in attracting and retaining talent. Strategies that build or rebuild culture, community, and togetherness are taking center spotlight. Some examples include the adoption of new and better programs that support mental, physical, and reproductive health.
JLL
In 2025, increased in-office attendance and urban footfall is likely to continue to spotlight ‘experience’ as critical with a broader perspective on designing for end-to-end experience journeys. While employee experience has become a key focus in recent years as part of return-to-office incentives, ‘street to seat’ experience will become more crucial for employers in attracting talent, boosting workplace attendance, and revitalizing urban centers.
JLL
GENSLER
Three quarters of firms say collaboration is the main reason for calling staff back, with 41% believing it will improve productivity. But aggressively repurposing space from fixed desk “me space” to collaborative “we space” has produced some unexpected challenges.
For decades workplace design has operated on an “either/or” approach, where increases in one area — more amenities, support spaces, and collaboration spaces — come at the sacrifice of others, usually individual space. This next era needs to embrace a “both/and” approach.
EDUCATION
GENSLER
Accessible playgrounds, classrooms, and community spaces remove barriers that might otherwise lead to exclusion. The environment is often referred to as a child’s “third teacher” and when children can participate fully, they are more likely to feel connected to their peers, reducing isolation and promoting a sense of belonging that is vital for mental health.
MILLERKNOLL
A resurgence in international student enrollment since 2020 coupled with an increase in students reporting feelings of loneliness have campuses scrambling to facilitate connection and address student wellbeing. Potential solutions include spaces such as: communal cafes, Student lounges, and wellness rooms.
MILLERKNOLL
No matter how higher education evolves, expect student success to remain a priority. Design with Impact settings support the relationships that drive successful outcomes, so everyone on campus can thrive.
HEALTHCARE
GENSLER
We think the next big push in senior living is responding to the unique preferences of the Boomer generation. Boomers and younger generations are more interested in maintaining health span, rather than just extending life span. They’re more interested in being active participants in managing their lives, rather than just paying for someone to take care of their daily needs.
GENSLER
By bringing care closer to home, we not only increase accessibility for patients but also improve work-life balance for healthcare workers, who will benefit from shorter commutes and hybrid work options. Shifting more healthcare resources upstream to prevent illness will also reduce the demand for expensive, carbon-intensive hospital care in the long run.
GENSLER
Value in healthcare is multifaceted — encompassing efficiency, patient satisfaction, and long-term functionality. Architects play a pivotal role in shaping these environments, ensuring they not only meet current demands but also anticipate future needs. Now is the time to invest in adaptable, future-proof designs
interior architectural soltuions
DIRTT
A team of general contractors visited the DIRTT Experience Center to learn exactly how DIRTT works. To compare our construction system to the methods they were more familiar with, we built two walls. Both were the same dimensions. One used precision-manufactured DIRTT aluminum Solid Wall assemblies, the other used steel studs and drywall. In a side-by-side time trial, these were the results.
DIRTT
“Having spaces that are adaptable and flexible and suitable for lots of different uses with different groups is important,” says Goodman. “A self-organizing space empowers people.”
DIRTT
Work Design Magazine reports that hospitality-inspired lobbies and amenities are some of the most in-demand spaces in commercial real estate. One reason is the value those spaces add.