Global Design Perspectives 2026

In 2026, real estate leaders will be focusing on designing for the unknown and futureproofing assets for long-term flexibility. Uncertainty and change have become prevailing characteristics in real estate, as hybrid work models, AI integration and operational requirements can now shift within months rather than years, signaling the need to return to the fundamentals of flexible design.

Organizations across all sectors, from offices and retail to hotels and healthcare, increasingly need to balance agility in business planning and operational flexibility with long-term ambitions of boosting productivity and reducing costs, and the design of their spaces is central to this. Business planning agility was rated a key C-suite objective by 88% of organizations globally in a recent JLL survey, rising to 89% for those with predominantly office portfolios and 90% for those with retail portfolios. Flexible working patterns also continue to evolve, not just from hybrid working but now also from shifting skills and job requirements and emerging AI work practices, with 85% of organizations identifying flexible work patterns as a key C-suite priority. 

In the workplace, organizations are shifting their focus from attendance-based metrics to outcomes like innovation and talent attraction, recognizing the intrinsic value of physical spaces in building social capital. Increased collaboration between designers and psychologists, social scientists and other specialists will focus on spaces that are designed for different group dynamics, visual connectivity that fosters sense of community, and understanding the spectrum of spaces for different interactions.

There will be an increased emphasis on shared and transition spaces that nurture community and facilitate shared experiences, while group dining spaces, gamification and technology are bringing more innovative design solutions to social spaces in retail and hospitality.

As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms work processes, skillsets and operations across offices, retail and leisure, a powerful counter trend is emerging: the deliberate cultivation of 'analog spaces' and tactile design that prioritizes human connection, inspiration and experience.

In an increasingly digital world, genuine place-based connection has never been more valuable, as people crave connections to places, community and local identity. JLL research shows that 65% of people want the places they visit to provide 'unique and distinct experiences' and 62% want 'connection to the local area or culture'. Although technological integration in spaces is valued, people still seek human connection and community when choosing places to visit or shop.

In response, design concepts will focus on communal spaces that foster community and interactions – entrance foyers with visual language and high environmental comfort to create inviting atmospheres and communal spaces that encourage conversation and interaction.

Retrofitting and conversion of existing buildings continues to gain momentum in 2025, as global trends of aging building stock, supply shortages across sectors and in-demand locations, and increased ESG requirements are increasing the risk of a ‘do-nothing’ approach for developers, landlords and occupiers.

In 2025 this continued momentum will accelerate the role of design in unlocking holistic value from investment in sustainability features and building refurbishments. Effective strategies for existing buildings will go beyond improved energy efficiency and functional upgrades, taking a more holistic approach to retrofit design that can support talent and visitor attraction, brand strategy, community impact and improved health and wellbeing.

While JLL Research shows that 60% of employers plan to increase investment in building refurbishments in the next five years and increase investment in sustainability performance of real estate, sustainability demands are driven by both corporate commitments and changing employee expectations. Younger generations choose to work and live in environments that demonstrate sustainability credentials, with 72% of Gen Z and Millennials reporting they ‘always choose the most environmentally friendly option’ as consumers, compared to 55% of those aged 60 years and over.

Sustainable design will become more integrated with organizations branding, and visually demonstrating eco-credentials will be a design focus in 2025. We’ll see increased use of natural and recycled material palettes to create more tangible links between an organizational sustainability journey and visual identity, an important factor in talent attraction.

At an urban scale, sustainability-focused mixed-use regeneration will be key for ‘destination places’ centered around green spaces, community access and ‘science-led design’ that demonstrates sustainability and circular principles and showcases sustainable credentials.

While ‘science-led design’ has been limited by the ability to bring complex datasets from the built environment together or integrate research and data from other sectors, AI is now advancing and accelerating this capacity in areas such as evolving work patterns, health impacts and neuroscience.

For example, the emerging field of neuro-architecture brings research from neuroscience and psychology to the design of buildings, providing a greater understanding of the success factors of productive and healthy spaces. JLL research has already shown how the design of high-performance workplaces could be enhanced by insights from neuroscience or cognitive psychology on optimum working environments, with further opportunities emerging with AI tools.

AI will change our expectations of the built environment, and future design teams may include computer programmers or AI technologists who can facilitate deeper collaboration between disciplines - such as biomedical or psychology fields - and building engineers and designers.

The four global design perspectives—flexibility, human connection, personalization, and connected outcomes—represent interconnected opportunities to create spaces that deliver measurable business value while enhancing user experience across diverse real estate portfolios.

• Align capital planning with futureproofing needs: Invest in adaptive infrastructure to support business needs over multiple time horizons by examining CAPEX and ROI cycles. Organizations focused on futureproofing will align design requirements with investment structures.
• Design people-first spaces for performance: As human performance evolves, creativity, innovation and collaboration remain essential ingredients of human capital. Prioritize people-centered design to ensure productive and profitable spaces.
• Measure holistic performance outcomes: Develop metrics beyond traditional utilization rates to capture team performance, social capital, and experience quality, ensuring space investments align with broader organizational objectives rather than individual activities.