Member Article

BCO to launch ‘space-time office’ research in Cambridge

The British Council for Offices is set to launch a radical new research paper in Cambridge, which rethinks how businesses can manage and charge for empty office space.

Office space-planning expert, Andrew Chapman – best known for the ‘office in a briefcase’ design - and co-researcher, Jeremy Melvin, have released their first paper on the ‘space-time’ office.

The research, which was first unveiled to an international audience at BCO’s annual conference in Copenhagen last month, offers the potential for higher returns for owners, lower occupation costs, and opportunities for offices to deliver real social benefit.

Defined as ‘the space you need, for the time you need it’, the ‘space-time office’ covers multiple approaches now being taken to office life, including co-working and multi-location networking.

Supported by BCO and Zurich Insurance, the research paper proposes that the ‘square foot hour’ becomes a form of currency, where multiple users would rent office space as and when they need it, including non-commercial users who need space outside of conventional office hours.

Mike Ayton, owner and director at Juniper Real Estate and chairman of the BCO’s East Anglia sub-chapter, said: “With greater flexibility and agile working, we are no longer working 9 to 5 which means that offices can be under utilised much of the time. The work achieved in this research paper represents a significant step forward in the industry’s understanding of how to tackle the issue and turn these wasted spaces into something useful.

“Part of the thinking behind the ‘space-time office’ is that the future working environment should become more of a social asset than simply a commercial workspace. Technology and intelligent design could allow office space to be discounted, donated or even traded by owners, benefiting businesses and the wider community. A paper that proposes such bold ideas is certain to ignite much debate and we look forward to its official launch to a Cambridge audience.”

Established in 1990, the BCO is Britain’s leading forum for the discussion and debate of issues affecting the office sector. Its members are organisations involved in creating, acquiring or occupying office space, including architects, lawyers, surveyors, developers, engineers, financial institutions and public agencies.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Hicks .