Given the pandemic-induced shift to flexible working, one might assume that the last thing the world needs is new office space. And recently, some businesses are using the economic uncertainty to tip the balance of power back in their favour, demanding staff return to their offices. But this is just a small interruption in the life cycle of change that has been transitioning in recent years and short term thinking. 

So, who is getting it right? Walk out of Central Station and there it is, eight storeys and 37,000 sq m of brand-new enterprise bank HQ taking shape. Santander’s visionary Unity Place will combine four of its current offices and provide other operators the space to grow, including advanced flexible working facilities, dedicated higher-education space, retail, leisure and public realm that will accommodate and nurture entrepreneurial fintech start-ups. For an institutional global bank, the Unity Place Campus will see it break its chains to global PSLs and implement the Smart Spaces Platform for an entirely new workplace experience unlike anything it has provided before. Forget the security guards and scanners, here the ground floor will be open to the public, with pop-up markets, cafes, yoga classes and performances to encourage people to wander through and be inspired to get involved.