Navigating the Challenge of Managing Tall Buildings

Managing tall buildings poses unique challenges, particularly in anticipating the needs of an unknown future workforce. Over the past decade, JLL has gained valuable insights into designing vibrant and sustainable spaces that adapt to changing times.

The task of designing tall buildings for an unknown future workforce is indeed daunting. With nearly half of the jobs that today's children will undertake yet to be invented, predicting the occupants of these towers requires flexibility and adaptability. Designing spaces that can be easily modified and customised according to future needs enables the building to remain relevant and attractive to all types of businesses and professionals.

Regardless of the specific identities of future occupiers, one constant desire among professionals is the need for collaboration and effective workspaces. Tall buildings provide the ideal canvas for creative workplace design, offering vast opportunities for features like sky gardens and breathtaking panoramic views. These elements not only appeal to potential tenants but also leave a lasting impression on visitors from around the world, making the building a destination in itself. If you look at the evolution of towers from 22 Bishopsgate, to 40 Leadenhall and then to the future of 50 Fenchurch Street and 99 City Road, it is clear that towers have to offer much more to draw in occupiers and their future workforce.

As technology continues to shape the workplace, towers must meet evolving demands from technology to enable working to it moving towards supporting the day to day lives of occupiers. Integrating advanced technologies is now a given like high-speed internet connectivity, smart building systems, and access to data analytics to support occupiers own reporting of how efficient they are being as a user vs the service they are receiving from their managing agents within the building.

However, safety cannot be compromised. Fire safety measures, including advanced detection systems, clear evacuation procedures, and enhanced communication, are paramount in high-rise buildings where the parameters to respond remain in seconds and the implication of an evacuation is vast not only in terms of time but potential claims for loss of revenue from occupiers if the evacuation is through mismanagement is a real time risk.

Transforming glass and steel structures into vibrant, human-centric spaces is a primary challenge in managing tall buildings. Curating a sense of place and community within these structures involves thoughtful branding, placemaking strategies, and collaboration with local authorities. By integrating human senses into the design, tall buildings can transcend their physical presence and create an authentic environment that aligns with the building's identity, fostering a sense of belonging and connection among occupants. The design elements JLL have incorporated into their new home at 1 Broadgate will showcase the lessons we have learnt from not only our managed portfolio but our trial fit out at Water Street, where we have experimented with different material use and layouts to foster a sense of place for the different teams collaborating there together.

In the pursuit of net-zero carbon emissions, tall buildings have a vital role to play as the heritage buildings of the future. Sustainability is driving the UK office market, and tenants increasingly prioritise eco-conscious spaces. Integrating energy-efficient systems, renewable energy sources, and green building certifications aligns with net-zero carbon commitments. As we transition to all-electric buildings, challenges like pressure on the national grid and the cost disparity between electricity and gas pose a challenge for developers and investor as they find that perfect balance.

As we know sustainability now goes beyond the physical aspect of a building and is woven into the human element of the building, as to how it impacts its local community and benefits the well-being of the occupiers within in. Towers now have the challenge of prioritising amenities that support physical and mental health, such as fitness centres, wellness rooms, and biophilic design elements, whilst making them easy to access for occupiers and general public - the change in mindset to overcome the physical barrier of getting in a lift to access something is one that we face daily in manging these iconic buildings. Lessons can be learnt from the pioneers of the tower group in The Shard and 22 Bishopsgate, where the key amenity attractions require occupiers to go to the ground floor before they can go back up again to a restaurant or viewing gallery. Thinking ahead to all occupier journey and potentially overservicing building with lifts may seem counterintuitive but if it ultimately makes the building thrive with activity and drive demand for the space through pressure from the workforce towards their employers to take space in a building, does that now equal the next definition of a successful tower?

Managing tall buildings presents unique challenges as we navigate an uncertain future. Through collaboration, workspace design, creating a sense of place, and prioritising sustainability, JLL aims to contribute to the development of iconic, future-proof spaces that meet the needs of the next generation.

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