“Why bother with buildings?” This seems like an odd question to ask when you think of how buildings provide shelter, one of our most basic necessities. However, we are changing the way we look at buildings as we also change the way we use them.

On March 12, 2013—to kick off Workspring’s Thought Leadership series—we invited Dave Lathrop, Director of Research & Strategy for Steelcase Inc., to share his insights on the future of work and the impact on real estate. Dave captivated the audience through his dynamic storytelling, challenging people to push boundaries and think differently about the future of buildings.

Cultures Create Places
Buildings exist for the people who inhabit them. In the most basic form, buildings exist to provide shelter and a gathering place. Over time, buildings became a symbol of brand or company identity, but beyond all that there is an inherent social need to come together. Culture is about the evolution of knowledge and that happens when we come together to meet and share. Space and culture are deeply, dynamically connected.

Freedom of Choice
Mobile work strategies are a hot topic as Yahoo and Best Buy recently announced strategies to bring all employees back under “one roof.” However, these decisions are not impacting the trend toward workplace mobility. In fact, people are more mobile and more connected than ever. Case in point: an estimated 40% of all spaces in offices are unoccupied at any given time.

Alternative Workplace Solutions
To reduce fixed costs and respond to the demand for workplace mobility, companies are shrinking their global real estate footprints. However, there is still a need to meet face-to-face, collaborate, and socialize. Shared spaces satisfy this need, offering a palette of flexible meeting rooms, individual touchdowns, and professional services. These solutions give people the ability to select when and where they work and braid together physical and virtual collaboration organizations need to be accomplished.