Following various lockdown periods, work-from-home mandates and a move towards more flexible working patterns, the office is under threat.

New research from Geberit has revealed a lasting legacy of the past 18 months, with many of us more aware of the importance of wellbeing than ever before. A YouGov poll has found that more than half of us have made improvements to our self-care routine since the pandemic began, alongside a growth in the number of homeowners setting time aside to relax each day. Here, Sophie Weston, Channel Marketing Manager at Geberit, looks at the significance of the bathroom as homeowners embrace wellness and explains how biophilic design can create the ultimate sanctuary across residential projects.

In this article, Robbie Ferguson, National Sales Manager at Zip Water UK, looks at the touch-free technologies that we’re set to see in the office designs of 2022.

Throughout the UK, showers account for the largest use of water within domestic properties, totalling over 840 billion litres per year. As the nation’s water supply continues to face significant stress, Martin Walker, CEO of Methven, explores the opportunity architects, specifiers and designers have to help protect the UK’s diminishing water supply by improving the water and energy efficiency of upcoming residential and commercial developments.

Surfaces have a big role to play in the overall look and feel of a space. In the kitchen and bathroom, in particular, practical considerations need to be made while also bearing in mind the visual impact of such visible fixtures as worktops, countertops, splashbacks and even flooring. Here, Simon Boocock, Managing Director of C. R. Laurence of Europe, takes us through the key trends in surfaces to look out for.

Facilities designed to be visited or occupied by people who are extra sensitive to the effects of bacteria and contamination need to pay careful attention to several design and maintenance factors to provide a safe environment with optimised hygiene levels.