“The office is no longer a place, but an experience: the rise of the operated office”

How is Covivio reinventing today’s office?

Marielle Seegmuller: At Covivio, the transformation of the office has been a reality for several years. The group did not wait for the Covid crisis to rethink real estate! The goal today is to design the office as an attractive destination, capable of offering service and satisfaction to employees seeking meaning and new experiences. Beyond the “wow” effect, our role as a 360° real estate operator is to maintain this attractiveness by offering agile, flexible, service-oriented spaces that are consistent with the needs and new expectations of employees.

How are you adapting to the new needs of your tenants?

Marielle Seegmuller: Square footage is no longer enough. Today’s businesses are not just looking for well-located offices, but places that offer a complete, fluid and inspiring work experience. The office is becoming service-oriented. It incorporates the codes of the hotel and retail industries, with a growing demand for personalisation, comfort and ease of use. 

The aim is to offer employees something “more” and “different” than home office: a diverse and inspiring environment that allows them to work comfortably, efficiently and collaboratively. This evolution marks a shift from a property-based model to a subscription model with or without options.

In fact, owners no longer rent space, they subscribe to a comprehensive service: workstations, integrated services, shared spaces, digital equipment, events… everything is designed to maximise employee satisfaction and optimise the use of the space.

Welcome to the era of the operated office!

Do you have any other office renovation projects in the pipeline?

Marielle Seegmuller: We do indeed have several renovation projects in our European portfolio: in Paris, in particular, where we have two iconic developments underway, “Grands Boulevards” in the 9^th arrondissement and “Beige Monceau” in the heart of the 17^th arrondissement. These are two buildings with great potential that we are redeveloping in line with the new Covivio office design codes.

I am also thinking of our CB21 tower in Paris La Défense, which will undergo a major renovation programme. In Germany, we will soon be delivering the “LOFT” project in Berlin – a former industrial building from the early 20^th century that has been completely redesigned – and in Italy, we are finalising the “Corte Italia” project, which is also the redevelopment of a historic building in the heart of Milan’s city centre.