How Hospitality is Reshaping the Modern Workplace
John Williams, Director speaking on [d]arc media panel at Clerkenwell Design Week 2025
The rise of ‘hotelification’, where workplace design borrows from hospitality principles, has moved far beyond lobby styling and soft furnishings. At this year’s Clerkenwell Design Week 2025, our Director John Williams joined peers on a panel hosted by [d]arc media to explore how deep this shift truly goes.
The conversation, featured in Design Insider’s official event report, revealed that hotelification is no longer a trend, it’s a strategic response to changing workplace expectations in the era of hybrid working.
As John put it, “Offices are becoming destinations, not defaults.”
From Utility to Experience: A Shift in Office Purpose
Historically, offices were designed to maximise output per square metre. But the post-pandemic landscape has changed that. With more people choosing when (and if) they come into the office, companies are rethinking what these spaces offer.
On the panel, John was joined by Beata Denton, Lead lighting designer at Reform, part of Reflex Arkitekter and Gurvinder Khurana, Director at M Moser Associates. Together, they explored how workplaces are now:
Designed for flexibility, not standardisation
Focused on wellbeing and experience, not just productivity
Serving social and cultural functions, beyond desk-based work
What Is Hotelification in Workplace Design?
At its core, hotelification means adopting the values and comforts of a great hotel: service, atmosphere, adaptability, and emotional connection. For today’s offices, this manifests in:
Layered, adaptive lighting to support different user needs
Concierge-style front-of-house services
Integrated wellness areas, including gyms, cafes, and quiet zones
Event-ready layouts that allow spaces to host gatherings, talks, and activations
Material and acoustic design that enhances mood and supports brand identity
It’s a reimagination of the office not just as a place to work, but as a place people want to be.
The Two-Way Influence: Hospitality Learning from Workplaces
Interestingly, the panel also noted that the influence goes both ways. In some progressive projects, hotels are now adopting workplace strategies, adding coworking zones, meeting rooms, and integrated tech to cater to a new generation of business-leisure travellers.
Gurvinder highlighted a Dubai hotel where workplace tech has been woven into the fabric of a hospitality experience, meeting the needs of modern mobile professionals.
Designing Spaces for Choice and Comfort
One of the strongest messages from the panel was that good design must balance culture, function, and flexibility. At SpaceInvader, our own work reflects this ethos:
“We’re not just creating office layouts. We’re designing spaces that support culture, where people feel comfortable, energised and aligned with their organisation’s values.”
– John Williams, Design Director, SpaceInvader
Whether it’s through acoustics that enable focus, materials that soften a space, or configurations that encourage connection, our workplace projects are crafted to invite people in and make them want to stay.
Explore the Full Conversation
To dive deeper into the panel insights from Clerkenwell Design Week 2025, read the full article in Design Insider’s Event Report here.
Final Thoughts: The Office as a Service
As hybrid and remote work become the norm, the office must compete with home environments. The winners will be the spaces that offer genuine value, not just desks.
The hotelification of the workplace represents a powerful evolution. It's not about turning offices into hotels, it’s about applying the best of hospitality to support creativity, collaboration and human connection.