Five rules for getting the space right
Twenty-five years and millions of square metres in, here are Martijn’s top lessons for planning a move - a quick map of what the rest of this guide unpacks.
Get the order right.
Function first, then the base build, then the interiors. "In building and design you have two forces: time and money, and they never quite work together." Decide what the space is for before you decorate it.
Design for adaptability.
Build for the company you're becoming, not just the one you are today. “It's a real investment, and it depreciates over five to ten years, so if you get it wrong you can't just change it."
Don't be penny wise, pound foolish.
"It's like clothes. Ratan Chadha, the founder of Mexx, used to say ‘wear a beautiful Tom Ford jacket with a Gap shirt. If the jacket is Tom Ford, people assume the shirt is too’." Spend where it counts.
Get the fundamentals right.
"A good climate. Good light. The range to support different ways of working. And comfort, it should feel a bit like home." The invisible things make or break a space.
Make hydration part of the plan.
"Hydration is part of the comfort level, just like the climate… The new generation thinks hard about hydration, wellbeing, food, sport, those crucial elements. And this is the new way of property management: you can actually organise it, it's part of the plan."
Get the fundamentals right.
"A good climate. Good light. The range to support different ways of working. And comfort, it should feel a bit like home." The invisible things make or break a space.
Make hydration part of the plan.
"Hydration is part of the comfort level, just like the climate… The new generation thinks hard about hydration, wellbeing, food, sport, those crucial elements. And this is the new way of property management: you can actually organise it, it's part of the plan."
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Earning the commute
Offices need to work harder than ever to earn the commute. Here's what the landscape looks like in 2026, and how to stay relevant.
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In conversation with Elmar: setting the compass
We speak with workplace strategist Elmar Wilens, founder of EWIP, about why the office has to work harder than ever to earn the commute, and what that means for a move.
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