It’s been more than 18 months since the majority of office workers have been in the office full time. While it’s too soon to say exactly what lasting impact the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have had on the UK’s office culture, it’s clear to see that for the time being at least there is likely to be a significant shift towards a more flexible, less regimented approach to workplace-based work, with staff splitting time between home and the office, which has led to a boom in refurbishments as landlords refresh their facilities.

Designed by CLOU architects, Sanya Farm Lab is a 4000m2 four-storey exhibition space, located in the Nanfan High Tech District of Sanya, the southernmost city on tropical Hainan Island. The design focus of this project was to combine the climate characteristics of Sanya, integrate the regional scientific and technological agricultural elements and create a multi-functional research compound and commercial display space.

The Danish architecture firm Cobe, led by Founder Dan Stubbergaard, has won the prestigious international competition for a new university library in the heart of Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg.

One of the most fascinating challenges of our time is transforming our cities into people-oriented, climate-resilient places that are as carbon-neutral as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing our cities to address the question of how they need to change to become more crisis-proof, sustainable and simultaneously more pleasant places to live in.

Ben Hancock, Managing Director at Oscar Acoustics, explains the benefits of effective acoustics on office occupants, and how workplace interiors can be designed with sound in mind to improve health and productivity.