How do we activate ground-floors and craft vibrant streets for the long-term? Join NLA to explore innovative strategies creating multi-functional, resilient buildings and places.

Addressing where a building meets the street is important, to create uplifting public spaces and vibrant areas that communities want to live, relax and work in. The shifting landscape to online resources, from shopping to workspaces with the rise of remote working, has led to increased vacancy rates in offices, particularly at the ground level. 

 

JLL's research details office vacancy rates of 19.1 per cent across the UK in November 2022. While there is optimism that demand for space will return, evolving dynamics to activate ground-floor areas, prompt innovative strategies and design solutions to address the challenges posed by unoccupied street fronts. This is not limited to offices, including new and existing housing developments, shopping centres and high streets. Understanding different people’s needs and working with property owners and local businesses to design these frontages, is key to reimagining ground-floors. A diverse range of uses creates multi-functional, permeable spaces that have presence. This includes co-working and making spaces, educational facilities and health creation – from gyms to GP’s and MRI scanning facilities.

 

Futureproofing of urban space is vital. What spaces are shifting and transforming, creating flexible urban landscapes and sustainable communities for the future?