Green Spaces Have Become the Most sought-after Amenities Offered by Business Parks

Even though the pandemic crisis has slowed the pace of construction of new office buildings, those delivered during the pandemic, or which are now under construction, have adapted to the new demands from tenants. As a result of the cessation of the state of alert starting with 09.03.2022 and the revocation of the restrictions for limiting the spread of Covid-19, the companies started to implement the plans for the gradual return of the employees to the headquarters. The five most used hybrid work modes require more attention to some details such as: meeting spaces, the need to reconnect with colleagues by creating more generous social spaces, a more relaxing office environment obtained both by designing new office spaces as well as the presence of green spaces inside and outside of the buildings.

In the real estate field, there is already a constant concern for sustainability – energy-efficient buildings, with geothermal systems included to cool/heat the whole building, or offices with as much natural light as possible, with indicators such as BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) or LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which certifies both the sustainability of building construction and the way equipment is maintained to ensure the comfort of tenants, reduce health risks and reduce operating costs and thus the CO2 footprint.

After a long period in which social interactions were reduced and team cohesion suffered, the amenities offered by the new business parks in Bucharest that offer green areas in the inner courtyard or on the generous terraces are additional reasons to encourage the return of employees to the office.

At the same time, concepts like forest bathing have appeared, which means storing all the olfactory experiences around you when you are in a forest, smelling flowers, feeling the wind, hearing the trills of birds, tasting berries, or public wellness spaces, spaces created inside buildings reminiscent of well-being, breaks and nature, possibly even with an additional exit to the outside environment, in a park or green area.

“Some of the benefits of green spaces in the vicinity of offices are walks and relaxation, which help employees to really enjoy the breaks during the program and to spend time together even after the program by walking or participating in various sports that can help increase team cohesion. This need for nature closer to each of us is becoming more and more present in the requirements of employees after 2 years of health restrictions and implicitly in the requirements of companies looking to rent new office space during this period”, says Alexandru Petrescu, Managing Partner at ESOP Consulting.

U-Center is an example of a business park in Bucharest that offers easy access both to the green spaces inside the project and to the two nearby parks: Tineretului Park and Carol Park. For those who want to go for a walk in nature before or after business hours, the following are available for jogging: the park tour – 2.1 km; lake tour – 1.4 km; mausoleum tour – 1.2 km; these are some examples.

Another example is One Cotroceni Park, a real estate project focused on urban regeneration, with green areas, outdoor running tracks, swimming pool, in addition to the other facilities that complete the complex. The building also offers hanging gardens on five levels and several green spaces.

J8 Office Park is a new business park delivered during the pandemic that also focuses on green spaces. Located in the northern part of the Capital, very close to the Romexpo area, the 2 buildings have several outdoor terraces and roof terraces, as well as facilities for cyclists.

AFI Tech has completed the second phase of construction this year. The complex offers 5,000 square meters of green space and is developed in the style of an IT&C campus, in an urban complex that provides employees with outdoor gardens, including fountain areas that complete the space.

Sema Park, located in the western part of the capital, will deliver two more buildings this year, Oslo and London, which will complete the stock of Class A office space already existing in the business park. The developer has thought of the type of business park with open spaces in order to create an attractive pedestrian environment. Various squares, the generous green area in the center, as well as a wide pedestrian area along Splaiul Independenței are designed for those who want to exercise outdoors. In addition, a pedestrian loop is driven around the central park for rollerblading, cycling or walking.

If you would like more information about the office spaces for rent in Bucharest, please contact the ESOP team by filling this brief form or by phone (+4) 0723.26.61.97 or (+4) 021.528.04.40. We’ll promptly answer your inquiry!