As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic most companies switched to remote work and reduced the demand for office space, which is reflected in Colliers “Warsaw Office Zones Guide” report’s data. Thanks to vaccinations and a reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases, in Q2 and Q3 2021 we have seen a gradual return of employees to offices and an increase in tenant activity in the Polish capital.

Office development has slowed down due to property market uncertainty. In the meantime, employees have returned to offices and companies have resumed relocations. The ensuing supply and demand imbalance is likely to result in a supply gap over the coming year or so which will continue at least until 2025, say Cresa agency experts.

ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, unveiled its plans for the previously announced ESET Campus – an innovation and technology hub based in its headquarters city, Bratislava, Slovakia. The 55,000 sqm campus designed by architectural studio BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group will house the company’s new headquarters and will become a centre of excellence, creating strong cybersecurity, AI and innovation ecosystem for Slovakia and Central Europe.

Half of Romanian employees believe that the office needs to be redesigned to create different areas that give them more flexibility and multiple working options, depending on the type of work and collaboration needs, according to a survey carried out by Romanian developer Genesis Property. 

More expensive offices in Warsaw, is it possible in a pandemic? Walter Herz is trying to answer that difficult question. 

New office spaces with a combined surface of 153,900 sqm have been delivered in the first nine months in Bucharest, of which 107,900 sqm in Q3 alone, according to real estate consultancy JLL Romania. Total deliveries were up 24% year-on-year. 

JLL will be responsible for searching future tenants for commercial premises inside two of Yareal’s largest projects in Warsaw’s Wola and Kamionek districts.

Real estate advisory firm Savills has been appointed as the exclusive leasing adviser for Marynarska Point I in Warsaw’s Mokotów district.

Analysis of 44 key office markets in EMEA showed a 155,000 sqm increase in the total amount of flex workspace, according to Colliers. This increase equates to 25,000 extra desks. Contributing to this increase was the addition of 285,000 sqm of newly opened space, but this was offset by 130,000 sqm of space that closed and a further 23,000 sqm that was abandoned. However, nearly a third of the space that closed was due to WeWork streamlining its business in key European locations such as Barcelona, Copenhagen, London and Oslo.

According to Savills, preliminary data for European office markets for Q3 2021 shows take-up had increased 15% year-on-year, although still below the five-year average. Positive office market data is also provided by Google’s mobility index, with Warsaw leading the way among surveyed European capital cities.