Blog Courtesy of Hannah Baker, Senior Associate, EPR Architects
When Did “The Office” Stop Feeling Like a Place Worth Being In – and What Would It Look Like If We Designed for Belief Instead of Brand?
At some point over the last decade, the office stopped feeling inevitable. Not overnight, and not for one single reason – but gradually, through open-plan fatigue, performative “culture”, long commutes and spaces that began to feel more like corporate theatre than places for meaningful work. The question many organisations are now asking isn’t should we bring people back, but how can we make offices places people want to come in to?
There’s a growing recognition among clients that the way an office truly functions delivers far‑reaching value. That perspective is important, because it shifts the workplace from something people are required to attend into something that earns belief, not compliance.
One of the benefits of retrofit is responding to this shift, pulling retrofit further into the mainstream. Around half of EPR’s commercial projects currently involve existing buildings. Rather than a compromise, retrofit has become a deliberate choice – one that is environmentally responsible, culturally sensitive and deeply human. EPR’s London studio, All Saints, is itself a retrofit, allowing us to see what works, experience the challenges which come with a retrofit and benefit from the surprises uncovered during construction! It’s also a tangible way to showcase what’s possible when you work with a building rather than against it.
All Saints is already over 150 years old. Viewing it as our home for the next century forces an important acceptance: we don’t use buildings the way we did 100 years ago and it’s extremely unlikely we’ll use them the same way in another 100. In turn, retrofit isn’t about freezing a moment in time. It’s about making buildings work now – supporting wellbeing, collaboration and community – while allowing for future change.
One key move at All Saints was infilling its original E-shaped plan. Practically, it improved surface area-to-volume efficiency. Spatially, it transformed how people move through the building. Connectivity improved, sightlines opened up and the building became more legible. The reorganisation created openness and visibility – and with it, better opportunities for collaboration. The Hub, at the heart of the building, is almost impossible to pass through without encountering teams hashing out ideas or solutions. I look forward to running sustainability drop-in sessions there – partly because it’s so near the coffee, but primarily because everyone passes through. We could have made this iconic space without connecting it up to the studio areas either side, and while that would have looked just as great in photos, it would not have aligned with our ethos of collaboration and our firm belief that thoughtfully connected environments actively shape how we work and relate to one another.
Existing buildings each bring their own quirks and constraints, but that inherent variation is a strength. Material and spatial diversity adds character and richness – supporting wellbeing in much the same way nature does. Our brains don’t crave uniformity; they crave interest. Community grows when space actively supports behaviour. At All Saints, our active-travel facilities didn’t just accommodate cyclists and runners – they created a running and cycling community.
Crucially, retrofit isn’t only about the people inside the building. Buildings are cultural touchpoints within the cityscape. Designing with existing elements and carefully layering new ones maintains continuity – not unlike updating a phone’s operating system without erasing its identity. The result is a workplace that feels grounded, human and characterful.
Perhaps that’s the real answer to when the office stopped feeling worth being in: when it stopped working with the way we work. If we design not for brand, but for belief – in purpose, in community and in the future – the office will become a place people choose again.