Does anybody know what is work and what is home anymore? The edges have become so blurred that most of us are existing in the liminal space between the two. I find myself feeling more and more that I am living at work, held hostage by Zoom. I crave the studio and all the old interactions, rituals and habits I had pre-covid.

At Grimshaw we have been home working since March and are planning to reopen our studio in mid September. Some staff actively want to return but most are hesitant about the journey not the studio. When we do return it will be unrecognisable. The largest of our studio spaces in London was once a place for 217 people but with covid compliance it can now only accommodate 65. As a result, our staff will be split into three groups who will alternate between our office and home working on a rota until the restrictions are lifted. The studio will cease to be an office as we know it and become a place for focused collaboration.

A more flexible approach to working is our new paradigm. And while there are positives for some I think we must monitor how it influences our productivity and the effect it has on younger architects. An essential part of architectural education is being around others in a working environment, hearing incidental exchanges and being regularly yet supportively supervised. This is much harder to do remotely and something all practices will need to acknowledge and navigate. The mental wellbeing of all staff is also a consideration and we must remember to check in on individuals meaningfully and put in place more support for those who need it.

Any business plans written pre-covid must have been thrown into the bin a long time ago.

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