I wonder whether the initial excitement of working from home is beginning to wane.
As the days close in it might just be that homeowners and tenants are desperate for a change of scene and at least a short walk to work. It’s clear that no one really wants to go back to a daily commute into the city but working from home has plenty of drawbacks. Not least, who in your household is doing the same thing, how many bedrooms can you convert into a home office, does the understairs cupboard have any natural light, does the internet work, can you stop checking the fridge for a snack, does the dog need a walk, and how practical is it really to use the ironing board as a desk. For those living or working from home alone, it can be really lonely and claustrophobic.
Do people now crave the face to face, even if two metres apart, chance of meeting colleagues, the buzz of the trading floor, bouncing ideas off each other, human contact, a trusted sandwich, even a quick glass of wine before trudging home?
The solution lies within the 15-minute city concept: short school runs and journeys to work, thriving local shops and a strong community spirit.
So is the answer to bring the office to the village? I am not just talking about those beautiful rural settings up and down the country but also the network of villages that make up the capital as well as many regional towns and cities. It’s not a new concept. There have been serviced offices for years but they tend to be located in business districts not residential areas. Now is the time to step up.
From a new homes perspective, developers have been providing small business centres with limited facilities within their residential schemes. And, of course, they are reacting to the pandemic and inevitable trend by providing flexible accommodation to include work space and indeed outside space. But surely there’s an opportunity to create serviced business hubs for residents, not just a club lounge and meeting room.
What we need is multiple spaces with booths for private conversations as well as interactive areas. One or two developers have embraced this. Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms, for example, and Television Centre in White City, where, for those in the right industries and lucky enough to have membership accepted, there’s White City House, part of the Soho House concept. These bustling ‘work from home’ hubs will fuel creativity, create new business opportunities, generate new friendships and enhance community spirit. And all from the comfort of your home if not your apartment, although you won’t be able to do a Zoom call in your pyjamas.
*Photo - Television Centre, White City
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