Work resorts

The Park in New Jersey is confident that ways of working and living have changed. Its mission is to elevate living and office life at its 185-acre campus through design, community-driven programs, and wellness activities. It considers itself "a 24/7 live, work, play destination" and has spent the past 15 years becoming the work resort it is today. The Park puts people at the fore, focusing on connection through holistic design intertwined with workplace, event spaces, restaurants, parks, as well as fitness and social clubs.

Selected areas are members-only, including Round Table Studios, a flexible workspace, and Fieldhouse, a fitness and wellness space. However, the entire complex imbues a members club approach, one that prioritizes wellbeing and connection throughout, from the variety of fitness activities and healthy food offered, to the communal spaces that emphasize interactivity.

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The Park. Photography by Mike Van Tassell. Images courtesy of The Park

A recent article by the New York Times points to the “hotelification” of offices, which are striving to promote happier and healthier employees whilst driving a new perception of the workplace. It spotlights Springline, a purpose-built destination in downtown Menlo Park, California, comprising of two office buildings, a 183-unit residential building, nine restaurants, and outdoor spaces for people to connect.

Opening its doors in September 2023, Springline dubs itself the “coolest new neighborhood around” and offers a “resort-style campus” where people work, connect, and indulge. Taking cues from luxury hotels, there’s a signature scent that goes with the property and an overall sense of exclusivity as the management runs the neighborhood much like a hotel. “Our grand opening will showcase Springline as the new prototype for placemaking and community connection,” said K. Cyrus Sanandaji, managing principal of Presidio Bay in a release.

Images courtesy of Springline

In London, Google’s KGX1 building in King’s Cross is due to open in 2024 and will be fully completed at the end of 2025. Integrating community is a big part of the project proposal. Selected ground-level spaces will be dedicated to retailers, events and community use. Google has stated that its “ambition is to create a lively, welcoming boulevard that connects communities to an ecosystem of local makers, purpose-driven retailers, and public activities.”

By prioritizing people’s wellness and purposeful communities, the workplace expands beyond the office to align with the sentiment of the role of work in people’s lives. Eighty-six percent of people globally say they enjoy a good work-life balance and 93% say businesses should take more responsibility for the health of their employees, according to VML Intelligence’s October 2023 study featured in The Future 100: 2024 report. Companies and developers are aware that a space to work is not enough, in response they are creating work resorts and lively neighborhoods.

Main image: The Park