How should office buildings change in a post-pandemic world?

THE novel coronavirus pandemic has upended everything, including people's trust in the places and spaces where we work. For those who design and develop office buildings around the world, this has introduced a new challenge: Once we are cleared to return to the office, how can we convince people that the buildings they use are healthy and safe?

It is a challenge for developers, building managers, and office tenants alike. Some say our fundamental outlook on life and our comfort level in public places will never be quite the same as it was before Covid-19.

To plan for a totally new reality, our design response will likely parallel what we are seeing in the public health community. In the immediate term, we will enter a bridge phase until more becomes known about the virus. For example, if guidance on physical distancing changes from one metre to some other dimension, our work environments will need to adapt.