Last week, we published the results of our survey of the architectural community, which focused on workplace trends and a return to offices. Key findings from the survey, which can be read in its entirety here, included the finding that just over half of respondents had either returned to in-person working or had chosen to work some of their time in the office. Of those who were working in offices that had re-opened, almost 90% said that changes had been made to their office infrastructure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results demonstrated a continuing dependence on local health requirements, adaptions to technology, and employee preferences, adding further credence to a prevailing view that workplace trends, including what we expect from the offices of the future, will be permanently changed long after the pandemic has ended. In this respect, architects sit at an interesting crossroads. As office users, architects will be among the professions whose work environments are destined to change over the long term. However, as designers, architects will also find themselves on the in positions of power in how this change will occur, and what it may look like.

In addition to engaging with this trend through traditional commercial commissions, the architect’s skillset will also be sought by start-ups and innovators who see the changing nature of work as an opportunity in market disruption. One such start-up is Industrious, a U.S. based workplace provider who maintains a portfolio of over 100 co-working spaces in over 50 cities across the U.S.

Over on Archinect Jobs, the company is currently seeking both a Design Manager and a Project Manager to help deliver innovative workplaces. The Design Manager role, which can be based either in New York City or Los Angeles, includes taking the lead in areas such as space planning, construction documentation, and launch phases. The Project Manager role, meanwhile, may be based in either Atlanta, Georgia or New York City and will require attention to project programs, budgets, and contract negotiation. More details on the roles, and other job opportunities for architects and designers, are available on our jobs board here.

Whether in their traditional design service role, or as in-house designers for innovators such as Industrious, architects’ visions on the future of offices will undoubtedly be aided by customer and user feedback, such as Archinect’s own survey published last week. In addition, back in July we reported on a workplace survey by NEXT Energy Technologies, which found that employees were seeking healthier, more sustainable offices after COVID-19.

Office spaces are also not the only typology facing upheaval or evolution behind the pandemic. Previously, we have reflected on how the long-term design of schools, airports, and senior living facilities will be impacted by COVID-19.  

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As part of Archinect's job highlights series, we recently showcased an opportunity to work as a Store Designer at Starbucks, an Architectural Studio Director at Workbench, and a Senior Architectural Model Maker at Gemmiti Model Art.

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