The future of the office has arrived
By Ross Fittall, senior development manager with Argent
As Two Chamberlain Square gets ready to open its doors very soon to its first office occupants, I’ve had the privilege of showing members of the British Council of Offices around the building.
As I conducted a virtual tour on foot for the many BCO members who had tuned in, courtesy of my iPhone, last Thursday, I was able to show off both Chamberlain Square itself and our second building in the bright autumn sunshine.
As well as giving a real perspective on the space on offer, this virtual tour also gave the opportunity for followers to place Two Chamberlain Square in the wider context of Paradise and the new public realm that is re-establishing access for pedestrians across the city.
We’re also creating unique public spaces through the creation of new streets and squares because we want Paradise to be a part of Birmingham that the city’s people can be proud of. The active ground floors of our buildings will also add life and activity to Paradise, with our first restaurant, Dishoom, already proving this to be the case.
Many of us involved in major developments believe that large, open and flexible floorplates are the future and this is something a building like Two Chamberlain Square has the ability to offer across every floor.
Some have suggested that the events of this year demonstrate that the office is no longer needed, but I don’t think that is the reality for most of us.
This year has actually seen the birth of a new demand in office space here and around the world, and that is for a new and better office environment that is ultra tech enabled, smart and green, and where the quality of space and the wellbeing of staff are key considerations.
We believe we’re delivering all of this – and more – at Paradise, for everyone who comes here, including our first occupiers which include DLA Piper, Mazars and Knights.
As DLA Piper’s Birmingham office head Trevor Ivory says:
Paradise itself is all about the buzz and life of the city going on around it. Our people can’t wait to move to this building because the space is just so exciting.
As the only global law firm with a presence in Birmingham, we’re thrilled to have taken the city’s finest office space for our new home.
‘The idea that the office is dead is just not the reality. While technology is helping us to be more flexible it is still physical space that’s required in order to share ideas and to learn and grow from one another. That is why the office will not just remain popular, but will continue to flourish, and why places like Paradise are so necessary for a successful regional economy.’
We couldn’t agree more with Trevor’s sentiment, and can’t wait to welcome our new office occupiers and their staff into Two Chamberlain Square during the course of next year.
If you would like the chance to view the event, you can watch the replay here