British Council for Offices (BCO)

19/12/2022

Thank you to our BCO community, committees and all 4000 BCO Members and counting (with over 1000 of you NextGen!) for an unforgettable year.

We can’t wait to see what 2023 holds for all of the BCO Research, Awards, NextGen, Conference and of course Events which bring us together. Here’s to another year of learning, sharing, celebrating and growing.

Happy Holidays!

10/11/2022

We're thrilled to have been part of the team that won the Fit Out of Workplace category at the British Council for Offices National Awards 2022.

In collaboration with Overbury at The Brunel Building in London, this fitout was recognised by the judging panel as a workplace that flawlessly blends form and function. 👌

The team at City Concepts did an incredible job in bringing this vision to life via the installation of Concept 25, and we're honoured to have been part of the fitout.

Congratulations to everyone involved! 🏆

Overbury British Council for Offices (BCO)

07/11/2022

Some key dates for the diary you won't want to miss! Take these dates down and book wherever you still can:

-17 November: Dublin 2023 BCO Conference Bookings open.

-23 November: BCO NextGen Awards takes place in London. Tickets are still available to support our BCO under35 finalists in the and bookings close on 14 November.

-25 November: BCO Awards entries close. Download the entry guide before the deadline.

-1 December: Bookings for the BCO regional awards events open.

-1 December: A new BCO Research study is being published on delivering carbon in the workplace.

-17 January: 2023 BCO Annual Dinner takes place at Grosvenor House. Come up to London and join us! There is still time to reserve a table (or two!)

Don't miss out; subscribe to BCO's newsletters or get in touch for more info: [email protected]

21/10/2022

A Bicester business and coworking hub has been named one of Britain’s most exceptional places to work at the British Council for Offices (BCO)…

10/10/2022

31/05/2022

Designing for Neurodiversity | "As well as considering the characteristics that make an enabling environment, it is important to consider that like all communities, the neurodiverse community is complex and contains a wide range of people with a wide range of needs. Therefore, each office space is an opportunity to build a unique and nuanced relationship with people who will inhabit that space."

Read more: http://ow.ly/ffsV50JlBJX via

A new report urges landlords and office occupiers to invest in design for neurodiversity, as workspaces continue to hinder wellbeing

12/04/2022

Coming Soon || A new BCO study to be published in May, Designing for Neurodiversity by and PLP Architecture, looks at the full urban/work experience of a person who is neurodivergent, and it seeks to understand where there is scope across the built environment landscape to improve quality of life. The research will identify the principles of an enabling work environment and share design insights for creating this within the office.

"The report will centre around the lived experience of those who identify as neurodiverse and what developers, architects, designers et al can do to create enabling and inclusive environments." Josh Artus

As workers with neurodiverse needs return to offices post pandemic, it is vital that the workspaces of the future are designed as enabling environments where all can be productive, grow and develop. Via Property Week: http://ow.ly/t88W50IHtIY

Effect of poorly designed offices on autistic and other neurodiverse individuals is creating a social divide.

28/03/2022

Calling all innovators, deep thinkers, leaders, inventors and visionaries!

Do you have what it takes to enter the Ideas Project and pitch to industry experts?

The 2022 competition's grand prize could transform your public speaking skills, and further impact your career in a game-changing way.

Come along to the competition launch event to find out more at 5pm this Thursday (where we will also be doing a tour of HYLO) and hear more from:

-Matthew Gibson, CIT Group Partners LLP

-Stephen Cherry, HCLA

-Marta Galiñanes-García, AKT II

Register via the BCO website now to attend.

18/03/2022

Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill in the International Style & Completed in 1952, Lever House one of Despina Katsikakis’ favourite office buildings in New York (the city which hosted the 2007 ).

Alongside its neighbour across Park Avenue, the Seagram Building, these two buildings have influenced generations of architects.

In her blog submission, BCO's Jnr. VP says: “I particularly like the ground level which is largely composed of an outdoor plaza, a planted garden with a pool and incorporates art installations and open-air dining, creating the opportunity for the public to connect with nature and art." Read more: http://ow.ly/Wbw350ImAi1

If you have a favourite building to feature, e-mail [email protected] to submit your blog post.

📸 Photo 2 unchanged by Gabriel Fernandes, Flickr, 2015

09/03/2022

“We are now seeing an increasing range of metrics for bicycle spaces, lockers and showers across the UK, which, to some extent, mirrors the range in planning policy. Indeed, there are significant differences in guidelines for the provision of cycling facilities between local authorities.

At the upper end of the range, we are seeing one bicycle space per five employees/desks (in London and Cambridge, for example), while locker provision is typically one per ten employees or one per bicycle space.”

Thanks to yesterday’s discussion panel at the new report launch for 'Market Cycles II- The Impact of Cycling on Office Buildings.' Available to download via the BCO website: http://ow.ly/vfYC50IeOAU

Rob Harris, Ramidus (Chair)
Neil Webster, Remit
Darren Yates, Remit
Luc Bonnici, Five at Heart
Kat Hanna, Lendlease
Symon Bacon, British Land



📷 Photo credit: Andy Roach