Beyond Pretty: space that sells itself (at a premium)
For the first time since 2020, UK office vacancy has ticked down, from 8.7 to 8.6 per cent, as blue-chip occupiers flood back to quality space. Yet that headline masks a new truth: tenants now set the agenda. They’re cherry-picking green, tech-ready Grade A buildings… and ignoring everything else. Landlords holding yesterday’s spec are discovering capital expenditure is cheaper than chronic voids.
Prime examples are playing out in Central London, where vacancy in Q3 2024 slid to 6.9 per cent while “secondary” space languished, proving that flight-to-quality is more than a soundbite.
Translation: If your asset doesn’t offer turnkey, flexible and ESG-aligned space, prepare to discount or sit empty.
What tenants actually want in 2025
Hybrid-ready layouts
Average office attendance has stabilised at 3.1 days/week, meaning space has to flex between focus and collaboration.
Collaboration areas and amenity-rich common spaces
From yoga studios and active travel facilities, to office bars and rooftop terraces, tenants are expecting more than just desk space: any lease decisions hinge on experiential amenities say NAIOP.
Low-carbon materials and high wellness ratings
ESG commitments are front and centre of many tenant’s leasing decisions. In fact, a global survey by JLL found that 74% of occupiers said they were willing to pay a premium for environmentally sustainable spaces, whilst BREEAM-certified offices command up to 9.5 % rent premiums.
Learn more about sustainable real estate solutions here.
Short lead times
Post-pandemic occupiers sign later and move faster; a 12-week window is the new normal.
Smart tech and plug-and-play connectivity
Smart tech that works from day one is crucial to tenants – capital expenditure on AV and sensor tech now outranks furniture in fit-out budgets.
In short, “nice reception and fresh paint” no longer cuts it. The baseline is a sustainable plug-and-play workspace that lets the tenant walk in on Friday and bill clients by Monday.
Why design drives value
1. Higher rents and shorter voids
Good design looks great. Great design leases fast.
]Tenant-ready spaces (with furniture, AV, connectivity and amenities already built in) dramatically cut decision time. Instead of imagining what could be, tenants can see, feel, and sign for a complete experience.
JLL data shows that experiential, move-in-ready spaces achieve 10–20% higher rents than traditional CAT A baselines. Prime examples in London and Manchester show that the flight to quality is as much about experience as it is about location or ESG metrics. Well-designed space reduces downtime and elevates revenue from day one.
2. More loyal tenants
Modern tenants know that workspace quality is a visible signal to their own employees and clients. Offices with smart layouts, rich amenities and social spaces foster culture, collaboration, and employee retention, which makes them harder for tenants to walk away from at lease renewal time. The right design keeps tenants happy, engaged – and staying longer.
A well-designed office is a long-term loyalty program, built in bricks and mortar.
3. Increased flexibility, lower lifecycle
Flexibility is a design strategy. Spaces that can easily toggle between focused work, collaboration, and social interaction mean tenants can evolve inside the building, rather than moving out as their needs change. Pre-designed flexibility (modular desking, tech-enabled meeting rooms, wellness zones) lowers the cost and disruption of future refurbishments, increasing the lifetime value of every fit-out cycle.
Designing in flexibility today saves six-figure reinvestments tomorrow.
4. Future-proofed asset values
Design is now a financial instrument. Assets with turnkey layouts, futureproof infrastructure, and experiential fit-outs stay liquid even as the market hardens. Institutional buyers and REITs increasingly target buildings that don’t go beyond compliance to perform, flex and attract tenants without the need for immediate capex.
In a world where stranded assets are already piling up, the liquidity premium for plug-and-play, brand-ready space will only rise. A well-designed asset doesn’t just cashflow better – it exits cleaner and faster.
Productise the outcome, not just the process
In a market where decision cycles are short and tenant expectations are sky-high, landlords don’t need another fit-out contractor: they need a product that delivers certainty, speed, and premium appeal from day one.
That’s why we built Primed: our landlord service that delivers ready-to-go, revenue-ready workspaces that turn capex into cashflow faster.
Think of it as buying yield in a box:
- No four-month void carry.
- No diluted rent through fit-out allowances.
- No compromises on ESG or experience.
Just plug-and-play space that commands premium rents, attracts premium tenants – and gets you paid while others are still issuing tenders.
Case in point – The Distillery, Bristol
Royal London’s 4,400 sq ft suite at The Distillery sat empty for months. Interaction delivered a plug-and-play turnaround in just eight weeks, proving that high-quality fit-outs don’t have to mean long lead times. The tech-enabled, flexible and fully-furnished suite leased within four weeks of completion – zero incentives, headline rent achieved.
Design as an asset class multiplier
Smart, strategic design isn’t just an aesthetic choice. It’s a tenant magnet, a yield accelerator, and a liquidity insurance policy. The right design turns a static shell into an active profit engine: filling fast, retaining tenants longer, adapting cheaply to change, and commanding a premium on exit.
If your workspace still relies on speculative renders and empty floorplates, you’re not just risking rent loss: you’re shrinking your buyer pool for the future. The next winners in commercial real estate won’t just be green. They’ll be designed to outperform.
Want to reduce voids, extend lease terms, and future-proof your asset? Download our free guide to futureproofing your real estate strategy for practical insights or get in touch today.
