New (And Returning) Office Design Trends For 2026

UCL
Dec 22
4 min read

Office design trends have shifted rapidly in recent years and 2025 has been no exception. Whereas it may once have been simply a place to work, the office is now a dynamic space that adapts to meet the needs of the employees, and 2026 is already on its way, bringing with it its own share of brand new trends and innovative ideas.

Join us as we take a look at all the new trends set to lead the way in 2026, as well as a few returning ones that have already changed the way we design and deliver employee-focused offices.

We hope that they provide you with the new year inspiration that you are looking for!

The Top Office Design Trends For 2026

Don’t start planning your office redesign project until you’ve cast your eye over these top trends for 2026!

Energy-Efficiency

Making the most sustainable and energy-efficient choice at every opportunity has long been a top priority for UK businesses, and the importance of doing so will only continue to increase throughout the coming year. As of 2026, all non-residential buildings will now have just one year to improve their energy performance before the minimum EPC rating for all commercial buildings is raised to Band C in 2027, and then again to Band B in 2030.

From improving insulation across the office to upgrading outdated fixtures to be more energy-efficient, improving the energy performance of a building starts with the initial design; so, bear the importance of this in mind when planning your 2026 redesign project.

Hyper-Flexibility

Hot desking, multi-purpose rooms, adaptable modal spaces … the office design trends of the 2020s have been heavily influenced by the push towards more flexible ways of working. Most office layouts have had to adapt, often beyond recognition, in order to keep up not just with this shift, but also with the best practices which often adapt as employees discover which ways of working best suit them.

Hints of hyper-flexibility are visible throughout almost every office that has undergone a refurbishment since 2020, but as we look ahead to 2026 we anticipate that this will be the year when flexibility fully dominates the design landscape. Rather than picking a few ideas that don’t work well together e.g. quiet spaces (right next to a noisy meeting room!), or collaborative spaces (which come with a lack of privacy), we believe that businesses will finally have the know-how to combine these separate trends into a single, cohesive design strategy … with a little help from us, of course!

Sound Control

If 2025 was the year of stimulating, dynamic workplaces that give employees more agency over their working environment, then 2026 may very well be the year that businesses get a handle on the increase in noise that this sometimes causes.

Having protected quiet spaces to retreat to and focus in is essential, and now is the time to reduce the noise that bleeds through into these areas (and the distraction that this causes) before it can become an issue in the new year. Expect to see plenty of soundproof panels and integrated acoustic materials in 2026 designs, as well as enclosed focus pods that physically separate the occupant from a busy, distracting office.

Returning Office Design Trends

They say that all popular trends come back into fashion eventually, and now, before we prepare to welcome in a new year, we’re first taking a look back at the office design trends that are expected to either retain their staying power or make a comeback in 2026.

Hybrid-Friendly Design

2025 was not the ‘return to work’ year that many believed it would be. As we predicted way back in January, hybrid working has remained a highly preferred mode of working - and now that many British workplaces have successfully adapted to this trend, it’s clear that hybrid models are officially here to stay.

If you haven’t already done so, here are just a few of the ways that you can facilitate hybrid working in 2026 and keep your employees connected no matter where they are:

Adopt a flexible layout that can be reconfigured.
Provide quiet spaces for video meetings.
Invest in plenty of speakers, webcams, and charging stations.

Zoned Workplaces

Most offices have been divided almost entirely into separate zones as a result of the calls for hybrid-friendly offices that we first saw emerge during the pandemic. Now, almost 6 years on from the first UK lockdown, this pivotal trend has had a lasting impact on office design and has shaped UK offices into the modern workplaces that they are today.

However, it is essential that the original purpose of these zoned workplaces - to facilitate collaboration, communication, and connectivity - is not forgotten. That’s why, as we enter 2026, we are renewing our commitment to delivering refurbishment projects that support employee wellbeing and elevate their day-to-day working experiences.