Office 2035: A joint roundtable hosted by AHR, Ramboll and Sterling Properties

We recently co-hosted Office 2035, bringing together experts from across the industry to explore what’s next for office spaces in UK regional cities, with Birmingham taking centre stage. Alongside Ramboll and Sterling Properties we gathered senior voices from architecture, engineering, property development, property advisory and occupier organisations for this invitation-only discussion.

Together, we tackled a pressing question facing regional markets: why has new office development stalled, and what needs to change to unlock the workplaces of tomorrow?

From specification to substance

Our participants reflected on how office design has evolved over the last decade, with rising expectations around sustainability, wellbeing and digital capability. While these drivers remain critical, we found ourselves questioning whether the ever-increasing layers of specification and certification are always delivering proportional value where it matters for occupiers and investors.

What emerged strongly was the need to refocus on fundamental architectural qualities - generous floor-to-ceiling heights, access to daylight, flexible structural grids and long-term adaptability. To create resilient office buildings capable of evolving over multiple leasing cycles.

The “minimum viable office”

One of our most compelling insights was the concept of the minimum viable office. This isn’t about cutting corners or reducing quality, it’s about prioritising what genuinely matters to both occupiers and investors. Our participants highlighted that buildings designed with robust fundamentals often adapt better to future change than highly optimised, tightly engineered solutions.

This approach aligns perfectly with our ongoing work across both new-build and refurbishment projects, where we’re increasingly putting long-term performance, adaptability and user experience at the heart of our design decisions.

Collaboration as a route to viability

Our roundtable reinforced the importance of early collaboration, particularly with occupiers, to de-risk development, inform design and support long-term value. In today’s climate of rising construction costs and cautious investment markets, we’re seeing that early engagement is what makes deliverable schemes possible.

Looking ahead

Office 2035 is just one part of a wider programme of insight-led conversations led by AHR and its partners, examining how buildings, places and infrastructure must evolve to support sustainable growth in regional cities.

Read the full Office 2035 insight report here

Explore our office and workplace projects that prioritise quality, flexibility and long-term performance here.