In June, HSBC announced that it would vacate its famous Canary Wharf headquarters for pared-down new premises in the City. What began as a trickle soon turned into a flood. HSBC has since been followed by Moody’s, Clifford Chance, and Credit Suisse – who have either sub-let sections of their office buildings, or have vacated them altogether.

This has little to do with – as some allege – any particular deficiency in Canary Wharf as a place to work. Rather, it speaks to changing patterns of work and life – changes that are beginning to make traditional models of commercial property obsolete.

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