[mole]

Where on these forums is there a recognition that monoliths like this are now obsolete?

City workers are now working from home, and they are loving it. No more dirty, expensive and overcrowded commutes. Quality time with their families. An effective increase of their disposable incomes running to thousands a year. I am one of them. We are not about to give that up.

Bosses are among those enjoying the new normal. They will also be looking to add millions to their bottom lines by giving up superfluous office space.

The current batch of City high rises will be the last. Meanwhile the owners of existing office buildings are going to have to figure out what to do with them, and what are the alternatives to monetise their investments. Until that question is answered, be in no doubt, skyscraper construction is over. Nobody is interested in investing hundreds of millions in new projects just to please fanboys on sites like this.

 

[DarJoLe]

Once the vaccine is rolled out we will all be back in crowded tubes and huge offices. Our Government (and their property developer backers) will make sure of it.

 

[Tellvis]

Where on these forums is there a recognition that monoliths like this are now obsolete?

City workers are now working from home, and they are loving it. No more dirty, expensive and overcrowded commutes. Quality time with their families. An effective increase of their disposable incomes running to thousands a year. I am one of them. We are not about to give that up.

Bosses are among those enjoying the new normal. They will also be looking to add millions to their bottom lines by giving up superfluous office space.

The current batch of City high rises will be the last. Meanwhile the owners of existing office buildings are going to have to figure out what to do with them, and what are the alternatives to monetise their investments. Until that question is answered, be in no doubt, skyscraper construction is over. Nobody is interested in investing hundreds of millions in new projects just to please fanboys on sites like this.

I do not agree with that at all. City office high rises will never be obsolete. OK there are people that love working from home and would not like to give that up, you obviously being one, but it will be your bosses that will decide that, not you. Companies will always want a centre of operation and will want those centres to be fully occupied. Apart from that I believe the vast majority people want to get away from the home cocoon, people like the office banter, the working lunch, the after work networking. The thought of working at home for the rest of my working days is certainly not something I would like or enjoy at all, don't get me wrong I love my home-life but I also love the change of scenery the buzz of working London, hell, even the dirty crowded commute. I love city living as well as my cosy suburban semi, I want to keep them separate and I think most people do. Nope Mole! when all this is over companies will want bums back on seats, sorry, they may well be more flexible, things may be a bit different but people will return to the office, it will be a huge mistake to write of the city monolith, and by the look at all the new huge office proposals and those being built and planned the smart money knows exactly that, for a fact....

 

[mole]

but it will be your bosses that will decide that, not you.

How very arrogant of you to assume that you know my situation and my bosses' thinking better than I.

I am very well aware of both. My job also gives me insight into the thinking, at senior level, of many other City businesses. I stand by every word that I have posted.

You might also want to check out this piece in today's Guardian by Simon Jenkins.

The office block has had its day. But what will replace it? | Simon Jenkins

Cities emptied by the coronavirus can focus on cultural activities, while the countryside we flee to must be protected, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

www.theguardian.com

 

[DarJoLe]

Simon Jenkins has never been right on anything regarding London development. I remember hearing about the death of the skyscraper after 9/11, the death of the skyscraper after the 2008 credit crunch, the death of the skyscraper after Boris became Mayor, the death of the skyscraper after the Brexit referendum... and yet here we are, buildings are continuing to get bigger, London is getting more crowded, the sky is being filled... and sure, one might not like it, but this event is nothing more than just another bump in the road. The only constant in this whole charade is another badly written article by Simon Jenkins lamenting the death of the skyscraper.

 

[Tellvis]

How very arrogant of you to assume that you know my situation and my bosses' thinking better than I.

I am very well aware of both. My job also gives me insight into the thinking, at senior level, of many other City businesses. I stand by every word that I have posted.

You might also want to check out this piece in today's Guardian by Simon Jenkins.

The office block has had its day. But what will replace it? | Simon Jenkins

Cities emptied by the coronavirus can focus on cultural activities, while the countryside we flee to must be protected, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

www.theguardian.com

Yeah Simon Jenkins LOL.... he is the butt of many derisory comments on this forum....
Its not a case of me being 'arrogant' about your situation, your situation may be that you can operate fully in your own bubble, and good luck to you if that is what you desire.
You are the arrogant one to state that 'Skyscraper construction is over' when clearly it is still very much in a healthy state, as all the threads on this forum indicate.
Huge high rise developments are pressing ahead in the city regardless with plenty more in the pipeline. So your sweeping comment 'Nobody is interested in investing hundreds of millions in new projects just to please fanboys on sites like this' simply does not hold water....

 

[london lad]

If there was no new skyscrapers, any office building really, due to the recent WTF situation was the case why then are new proposals being worked up, developers continuing to build them and most importantly firms still signing up for rents ( Mayfair has just seen its highest rent ever).

This years strange events done add up to anything concrete. People were already spending days of the week WFH and the trend has obviously accelerated quicker than it was but I am sure there will still be a need for an office. What we may see is a reverse from recent years where more people were squeezed into less space and instead more room per sq ft for employees with more distance space and breakout areas.

 

[Langur]

We're just getting started. London will soon be back with a vengeance. Who's ready for the Roaring '20s?

 

[palaceboy1234]

Working from home may work better if you live far away from the city and have a family. Allot of younger people in London would prefer to go to the office I think. As they often house share so if they work from home they are confined to their room. So going to the office is a release and social. The office banter, going out for lunch and drinks down the pub in the city will always be popular for certain people.

 

[ben77]

I think the recent uptick in the number of people travelling into London for work (and this was after the Government asked people to work from home if possible) was quite telling. From the people i speak to there is definitely some sort of work from home fatigue. I think is easier if you're in your 40's and have experienced working in a city but if i were in my 20/30's this would effectively ruin my life! We're definitely going to see more flexibility but given most office space in big cities is maxed out almost to the point of it being unsafe you could quite easily re-plan office space to be more healthy reduce the capacity by say 30% and be at a point where we need more office space..

 

[lezgotolondon]

Work from home sucks either you are old or young.

it can be good if you have kids, are anti social or have decided to commute from Scotland every day but for regular people is not

 

[Quicksilver]

I think the recent uptick in the number of people travelling into London for work (and this was after the Government asked people to work from home if possible) was quite telling. From the people i speak to there is definitely some sort of work from home fatigue. I think is easier if you're in your 40's and have experienced working in a city but if i were in my 20/30's this would effectively ruin my life! We're definitely going to see more flexibility but given most office space in big cities is maxed out almost to the point of it being unsafe you could quite easily re-plan office space to be more healthy reduce the capacity by say 30% and be at a point where we need more office space..

Agree about "work from home fatigue". Many people I know, especially in Asian countries cannot strike balance right too, completely abandoning family life even staying at home 24/7, as their bosses know very well that they are in front of their PCs or 10 meters away from it at most, so can ask anything, anytime. No more unsocial hours for them. Just had the same conversation yesterday with my Singaporean office. They are dying to get back to the office space and draw the line between office and home.

Another discussion I had with Bloomberg employee. Many members of his team are EU citizens and they have quietly relocated back to Cyprus, France, Spain, etc, you name it, abandoning their London flats and basically not informing Bloomberg. Of course weather is better, expenses are less, etc. But bosses of Bloomberg are now furious and want everybody back to London as soon as possible for various reasons, one being residence status implications.

 

[soederkis]

I doubt if office buildings are becoming obsolete though we might start to see more flexible use of space when the pandemic is over. From my point of view, working from home is getting to be quite a drag. I was lucky in a way that I was doing a fair bit of WFH even before the pandemic, going into central London three days per week normally and having a flexible enough schedule that I could avoid the worst of rush hour. I could see myself continuing along those lines, but permanent WFH is starting to give me cabin fever.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm still lucky in many respects. I have a decent workspace at home, I live in a cozy SE neighborhood with plenty of parks, green spaces, good pubs, whatnot. But I'm rarely seeing friends anymore (since none live around here and we would usually meet in the center) and as much as I love my partner, we did not move in together with the idea that we would be spending every waking hour in each other's company.

If you have kids that preoccupy most of your free time and your social life is mostly linked to them anyway, you might see it differently. But I want to get back to the office and judging from other replies here I'm not alone.

 

[RickLW]

Overall this is a successful building, despite all the reservations during construction. Its a difficult building to define (see picture). Its neither a great wide slab, nor a slender tower. Its not flat topped, nor sloping, or a pointed top. All depending on which angle it is viewed. You could love it or hate it in a matter of a few metres! I think it has been widely accepted as part of the City skyline. I particularly like the silvery reflective glass which mirrors Tower 42.

How it will work out post Covid and the other offices- time will tell. I can't see any others starting construction...I wonder how the market will be when 8 tops out!

 

[RickLW]

From London Bridge (September 30 2020)

 

[chest]

hailing the new God in town...
_MG_4329, on Flickr

 

[geogregor]

Monday lunch time, city is thriving...


DSC03655 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


DSC03703 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


DSC03717 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


DSC03755 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


DSC03767 by Geogregor*, on Flickr

 

[geogregor]

It really dominates the skyline, like "fat wardrobe"...


DSC03982 by Geogregor*, on Flickr


DSC04031 by Geogregor*, on Flickr

 

[der muttt]

It actually does a good job of looking like two towers from its 'unfortunate' angle. Because all of us on this forum are hyper aware of these buildings we are also hyper critical, For example,1 Blackfriars, I know that a lot of Johnny Foreigners love that building but because we know it was originally supposed to be taller we don't like it as much!

 

[DarJoLe]

Flat tops should be banished to North America. London is described as a city of spires and domes, it’s skyscrapers should be a reflection of that.