Post-pandemic shifts toward virtual and hybrid work reduced physical occupancy, leaving once-vibrant office and retail spaces underused.
This change exposed opportunities and challenges for cities, landlords, and communities:
- Financial strain: Reduced rental income and higher vacancy rates of commercial real estate.
- Flexible leasing and mixed-use design: Short-term leases, pop-up retail, and adaptable floor plates allowed experimentation and diversified income streams for landlords.
Hybrid work reduces informal mentorship, collaboration, and shared workplace community. Eliminating the opportunity for spontaneous interactions that fuel mentorship, creative problem-solving, and a sense of belonging.
- Employees may feel less connected to peers and to the company resulting in lower engagement and overall wellbeing.
Child care is expensive, inconveniently located and rarely integrated into the workplace landscape—limiting return-to-office participation. Work and childcare remain physically and operationally separated, limiting opportunities for parents to participate comfortably in workplace life.

Reimagining the workplace through work, care, learning, and play.

Ubisoft