Ground-Floor Activation: Repurposing Retail

Talk

Wednesday 08 November 2023
18:30 - 20:30

Image: Jack Hobhouse

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?

download speakers presentations

Lady-Lucy-French_FSQ.pdf
James-Dixon_Benoy.pdf
Abigail-Thomas_Lifschutz-Davidson-Sandilands.pdf
Susi-Le-Good_AHMM.pdf

This content is only available to NLA members.

To unlock event resources, such as presentations, brochures or recordings, join NLA as a member.

Create account

Speaker biographies

Abigail Thomas

Director, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands

Lady Lucy French

CEO, Fleet Street Quarter

Patricia Brown

Director, Central

James Dixon

Director, Benoy

Susi Le Good

Director, AHMM

Venue

The London Centre,
3 Aldermanbury,
London
EC2V 7HH

Accessibility

There are 4 steps to the main entrance, with a level access entrance via the Guildhall West Wing 30 seconds away. There are toilets and accessible toilets via stairs or a lift to the lower ground floor. If you would like more information, or have any access requirements, please let us know what these are and how we can best accommodate these by emailing events@nla.london