Photos of Ernst & Young’s Singapore office courtesy of JLL
Before 2000, commercial real estate designs emphasized functionality, efficiency, and space maximization, as evidenced by “cube farms” and high-end corporate offices. Fast-forward to the mid-2020s, and the current CRE space trend is less about “function over form” and more about work-life balance, technology integration, and collaboration.
According to JLL’s just-released “Global Design Perspectives 2026,” real estate leaders are focusing on designs to help futureproof assets. Emma Luyt, Americas Head of Workplace Design, Global Design Delivery Lead, Project and Development Services at JLL, explained that the focus reflects rapid changes in AI and its impact on real estate.
“What was surprising was how this surfaced as a return to fundamentals in two key areas: The need for flexibility and adaptability in designs in the context of rapid change, and the fundamental value and power of human connection and collective intelligence, and how space design is critical to this,” Luyt told Connect CRE.
Preparation for an Uncertain Future
The report noted that ever-changing technologies are driving the trend toward “future-proofing” space. Such actions might include enhancing zonal configurations by using mobile panels. At the same time, “modular pod systems will be shifted and combined to adapt to variable collaboration needs over different time periods,” according to the write-up.
Also essential is a focus on long-term adaptability rather than short-term solutions. In addition to the above-mentioned panels and pods, Luyt said that such designs would include customizable lighting and flooring systems to support reconfiguration while maintaining a sense of permanence.
“In one example, Ernst & Young transformed its 145,000-square-foot Singapore office into a future-fit workplace. One of the features was flexible workstations,” Luyt said. She added that the transformation occurred after an analysis of the employees’ work style and organizational preferences.
Then, There is Neuro-Design
Along with future-proofing spaces for technology and other adaptations is the growth of more tactile and acoustic designs to help improve concentration and performance, while offering “aesthetic and environmental comfort functions,” the report said.
This is where the topic of neuro-design comes into play. Luyt said that neuro-design, as a concept and research area, has been around for a while. What’s changed over the past several years is that technology and analytical applications have increased both knowledge and application in the area.
“More broadly, neuro-design is focused on how people respond to spaces, and how such knowledge can be applied to designs through data-driven and parametric design approaches,” Luyt explained. Some examples of neuro-design application principles include JLL’s Work Science research, which uses portable EEG devices to measure cognitive responses to real-world working environments.
Giving Users Control
The report explained that personalizing experiences is also a hallmark of today’s interior space designs. Breaking this down, the concept involves strategies that help users build more control over their personal experiences in a specific space.
“Utilizing these strategies in workplaces is becoming more important in response to employee expectations, particularly in workplaces where there are higher instances of unassigned seating,” Luyt added. “These approaches can create a greater sense of choice and feeling of ‘place’ within a workspace.”
Luyt said that actions could range from smart control systems that adjust lighting and temperature to customizable design elements that adapt to team requirements. Shared amenities and activity-based working also fall under this category.
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