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Changes Which Drive Ahead Modern DesignLegislation and corporate aspirations are two major influences on modern offices, impacting on design, specification and occupational costs says Paul Nicholson, director of business space at Chesterton's Newcastle office.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) - which becomes law next month after a long lead-in - has had an impact on access to all types of property, especially those buildings welcoming members of the public.
Clearly, office buildings have had to be modified or purpose-built to comply with the legislation, not just to cater for wheelchair users but also other disabled people, such as the partially-sighted, with, for example, braille used on light switches or lift-operating systems.
The DDA has led the office-occupier market to think carefully about occupying period buildings which often have steep steps to their front doors.
The resurgence in urban living has seen surplus office stock often returning to residential use, as office occupiers move to more DDA-friendly premises.
Increasingly, occupiers are looking for higher levels of sophistication. A decade or more ago, air-conditioning was often a case of opening the window. Now it is almost mandatory to work in a temperature-contro lled environment.
Information technology has been a significant driver here as a result of the heat generated by c
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