The future of our cities depends not only on how many homes we build, but on how well we design them.

As the UK faces growing pressure to deliver new homes, underutilised office buildings present an opportunity to rethink how we use our existing spaces. But converting an office into a home involves more than adapting a building to meet residential requirements. It means understanding what makes a place somewhere people want to live, from access to natural light and green space to the sensory, social and emotional qualities that support everyday wellbeing.

In the second part of our Offices to Residential thought-leadership series, we explore how design can transform redundant office buildings into places that support healthy urban living. Drawing on research into inhabitation, neuroaesthetics, deep floor plates and coliving, we consider how a more people-centred approach can create homes that respond to the needs of those who live in them.

Read the full report to explore the opportunities and challenges of creating better homes from existing buildings.