Insights

According to our data, nearly 90% of people believe their work environment directly affects their well-being. And not just in obvious ways. The routes we unconsciously take to the break area, the way we move around the office, the interactions we initiate—all these small choices say a lot about how we work (and live). Altis Research starts from a simple premise: you can’t design a space without observing the people who live in it. And we do so with rigour—interviews, biometrics, behavioural mapping—but also with a very human question: “How do you feel, in here?” From the study of behavioural patterns, we’ve uncovered some surprising insights: areas designed for collaboration often used for solitude; informal corners that become hotspots for spontaneous innovation. Because space speaks. And if we listen carefully, it can become an ally for well-being and performance. Altis also draws inspiration from the PERMA Model of positive psychology, which outlines five key dimensions of human flourishing: Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement. Too many concepts? Maybe. But our goal is to make these not just desirable, but designable.

Let’s be clear: Altis Research doesn’t stop at good ideas on paper. On 21 March, during the Conscious Cities Festival at Triennale Milano, we brought these themes into open conversation with neuroscientists, architects, designers and philosophers during the event Regrounding: Reconnecting Bodies & Space.
An afternoon of bold questions and cross-pollination, which made visible (and tangible) what we’ve been seeing in the data for some time now: you can’t talk about space without talking about bodies, attention and perception.
Among the speakers, Dr Nicoletta Brancaccio—curator of the event and a key voice in the discussion around space as an empathetic and neurological interface.
A powerful reminder that the future of work isn’t just about efficiency.
It’s about presence, connection, and intentionality.

By now, you’ve probably guessed: we’re not here to offer convenient answers. We’re here to ask uncomfortable questions—with method, with irony, and with real curiosity. Because the way we work shapes the way we think, relate, and imagine the future. And as we emerge from years of rigid models and false narratives around productivity and disconnection, maybe it’s time to ask: What kind of work—and workplace—do we actually want to build, if work is where we spend most of our lives? Let’s find out. Together.

Working in Milan can mean a lot of different things. It could be a daily obstacle course of traffic jams, espresso-fuelled meetings, and high-speed lunches among the skyscrapers of Porta Nuova. Or it could mean a slower pace among urban parks and high-tech offices along the Navigli.
The city is a patchwork of work cultures defined by its neighbourhoods: Chinatown, for example, is evolving into a melting pot of offices (and dumpling incubators), while Lorenteggio is shedding its industrial past and embracing a new kind of business energy.
Case in point: Niterra’s headquarters at the L Building, Lorenteggio Business Center (link). Once a gritty industrial zone, the area is now a strategic hub for businesses looking for smart spaces, solid transport connections, and flexible infrastructure.
The Niterra office is designed to maximise collaboration and employee wellbeing, with adaptable layouts and sustainable solutions. A choice that perfectly reflects the neighbourhood’s transformation—from manufacturing fringe to contemporary business node.

Forget the traditional office: in Lisbon, work happens everywhere—from riverside co-working spaces to former factories reborn as creative hubs.
The city has become Europe’s test lab for flexible work, with start-ups rethinking what a “headquarters” even means and neighbourhoods that make dynamism part of the daily routine.
A prime example? The headquarters of a confidential luxury client at Oriente Green Campus (link). Located in Parque das Nações—a district born from the regeneration of a former industrial area—the office is part of an ecosystem where business, residential life, and green spaces thrive in harmony.
The interior design reflects this vision: hybrid environments, sustainable materials, and layouts built for fluid, modern workstyles. If the future of work is flexible, they’re already living it here.

The message is clear: cities shape business strategy, sure—but more than that, they shape how we experience work.
So, for companies on the hunt for their next office, the question isn’t just about cost per square metre. It’s: Where do I want my people to show up every day? And just as crucially: What kind of work culture am I trying to build?
Because in the end, the right neighbourhood doesn’t just house an office. It helps shape the people who work on it.

We spend most of our lives indoors, bathed in artificial light and recycled air. So it’s no shocker when we hit that 3pm wall and start blinking at the screen like caffeinated zombies. An office built with natural ventilation, green walls and lighting that aligns with our circadian rhythms isn’t just easy on the eyes—it’s a game-changer for your health. The air’s cleaner, your brain fog lifts, and your eyelids stop trying to slide shut. 

But wait—there’s more. Even a sliver of sky or a couple of trees outside your window can work wonders for your wellbeing. The science says so, and your brain agrees (cheers for that). According to the Green Space for Health programme, regular access to green space improves mood and boosts immune function. People feel more connected, more energised, more grounded. And, crucially, less likely to hurl their mouse across the room. And water? Hugely underrated. Fountains and water walls aren’t just there to impress on Instagram—they reduce background noise and make spaces acoustically soothing. What’s more, research shows that they lower cognitive load after intense mental tasks. Like surviving three back-to-back Zoom calls without throwing your laptop out the window.

We’ve been conditioned to think that every second at work needs to be accounted for. Back-to-back meetings, open tabs multiplying like rabbits, the constant pressure to look busy. But science (and common sense) tell us otherwise: the best ideas don’t happen under fluorescent lights in forced brainstorming sessions. They happen in the in-between moments—walking to grab a coffee, casually bouncing thoughts off a colleague, staring blankly at a wall until genius strikes.

Companies that embrace these “non-work” pockets of time are the ones fostering real innovation. The trick? Creating spaces that encourage spontaneous connection and mental resets—without feeling like a corporate playground trying too hard.

The old-school office? Sterile, functional, and frankly depressing. It was all about squeezing productivity out of people. Post-pandemic, however, employees are demanding more from their work environments. Returning to the office doesn’t have to mean sacrificing well-being or flexibility.

Instead, companies should focus on reinventing offices as dynamic spaces that support mental and physical health, proving that the traditional model can evolve into something employees actually look forward to.

Hybrid work may be the new normal, but the office still holds a pivotal role. For those who’ve grown comfortable with remote setups, returning to the office can feel like being dragged back to school. Let’s change that. Make the office more than a workspace—make it an experience. One that’s dynamic, empowering, and, dare we say it, fun.

In Christopher Nolan’s film “Inception”, the architecture of dreams is a tool to implant ideas, blurring the line between reality and illusion. A city’s streets bend upwards, an elevator descends into the subconscious, and what appears safe can suddenly fracture into chaos. Similarly, the Regent Street evacuation revealed how fragile our sense of stability is. The buildings didn’t change; their foundations were as solid as ever. But for those inside, the perception of a threat turned familiar hallways into potential traps and transformed their workspaces into zones of vulnerability. So much for the ‘invincible fortress’—it turns out it’s all in your head.

This shared thread between film and reality lies in the human mind’s response to suggestion: in both scenarios, whether within the surreal landscapes of a dream or during a real-world evacuation, our perception of reality is shaped as much by external cues as by our internal interpretations. A single suggestion—be it a visual distortion in a dream or the sound of an alarm in an office—can be enough to alter how we engage with our environment. The mind’s ability to reinterpret spaces based on perceived threats shows how easily the familiar can become uncertain, reshaping how we navigate and experience the moment.
One alarm, and suddenly your cubicle is a warzone. Welcome to the office apocalypse.

To counter the fragility exposed by incidents like the Regent Street alarm, organisations must prioritise resilience—not just structurally, but psychologically. Here’s how:

• Transparent Communication: employees must be informed promptly and clearly during emergencies, even if the threat turns out to be unfounded. Trust is well-built when information flows. “Because nothing says ‘I’ve got your back’ like a timely text that says, ‘No bomb, just bad coffee today.’”
• Designed for Flexibility: Modern offices can feature adaptable spaces that evoke a sense of resilience, subtly fostering an unconscious feeling of comfort and safety. Just as dream architects in Inception anticipate disruptions, real-world architects can design with unpredictability in mind.
• Cultivating Emotional Safety: beyond physical security, workplaces should foster environments where employees feel psychologically safe. Team cohesion and trust mitigate fear, enabling people to navigate uncertainties with confidence. “Let’s face it: If you can’t trust your team during a false alarm, you might as well be in a hostage situation.”