Office Makeover

Despite both an uncertain economy and reluctance among some employees to return to in-person work, new office space continues to be built at a robust pace in the Metro Atlanta area. With roughly 3.95 million square feet currently under construction, including the highly anticipated 1050 Brickworks development in West Midtown, developers are devising new ways to attract potential tenants, while employers are rethinking the office landscape in order to cater to employees’ needs and lure them back into the office, according to the recent ASID 2023 Trends Outlook report.

“Today’s offices need to offer a greater variety of spaces that support different types of work. Employees want more informal collaborative spaces, more private and quiet workspaces, and more areas to socialize, connect and build relationships with their colleagues,” says Dr. Dawn Haynie, research fellow, ASID. Instead of traditional open floor plans, smaller team-based “neighborhoods,” multimodal workspaces and formal gathering spaces are redefining office design, with an emphasis on technology that allows those working remotely to engage in office meetings. Employee comfort and well-being is also driving changes to the way developers outfit their properties, with amenities such as rooftop attractions and outdoor cafes fostering a rich work environment.

While older properties are at a disadvantage in the current market, some are being redeveloped for housing, a national trend that Haynie notes is currently less prevalent in Atlanta than other parts of the country. “Atlanta has seen a few of these adaptive reuse projects completed, like Ponce City Market and more recently the Lofts at Centennial Yards South, but most, like the development proposed at 100 Edgewood, are still in the planning and design phase.”