Futureproofing the Workplace: Inside the Offices of 2050

As companies rethink how their offices should function in an age of rapid tech shifts, Geyer Valmont is spending its time reworking the buildings we already have.

CEO Marcel Zalloua says most of the structures dominating our skylines will still be here in 2050, but the way we use them will look nothing like today.

In this Q and A, he breaks down how AI, data and smarter design are set to transform the workplace.

Q: How are businesses futureproofing offices and buildings for 2050?

A: When we think about the future of the commercial building environment, it’s interesting to note that in 2050, most of the buildings making up our current horizon will still be standing, however what’s inside them will be completely transformed.

When we talk about future proofing commercial office spaces, our job really is to reshape the existing built world so that it continues to be fit for purpose, and incorporates infrastructure and design that enables our future state.

At Geyer Valmont, our remit is primarily to reimagine and redesign current spaces to be smarter, more sustainable and more efficient.

Q: How is technology influencing the way companies design and manage their office spaces, and how do you see this evolving in the next few years?

A: Offices are growing increasingly complex, incorporating new technologies, spaces and tools which continue to challenge traditional office design.

At the same time, technology has dramatically changed how we can enhance increasingly available data, to leverage many years of design intelligence, streamline processes and optimise performance.

This abundance of data has unlocked the ability to utilise new forms of technology that help companies visualise, simulate and redesign spaces with greater agility.

At Geyer Valmont, we’re using these technology advances to create new tools that can simulate office layouts, like our recently launched GVi tool.

GVi is an AI-powered ‘digital twin’ platform that can test design changes in real-time and forecast how spaces will perform before clients have to commit committing to physical adjustments, turning risk into evidence.

As Geyer Valmont is a fully integrated design and construction firm, GVi was developed as a critical tool to streamline the complexity of this process into one platform, and one simple, easy to use interface.

Our clients now only need to focus on their needs and the design outcome, as the delivery programme and costs are automatically calculated through the tool.

In the coming years, we expect AI to continue to play a deeper role in office design, taking the rapidly evolving needs of the business into consideration and helping companies accelerate the design process, with cost savings and efficiencies along the way.

Q: In 2026 and beyond, how do you see client expectations from their physical workplaces evolving?

The physical workplace is no longer just a place to work and meet, it can actively shape culture and performance through hyper-personalisation driven through AI tools and data.

As AI continues evolving, physical workplaces will too. AI will be used as a predictive tool to adapt to human needs in real time, using real data – lowering risk and recommending improvements.

This has the dual use of tailoring environments to individual preferences, for example lighting and temperature, as well as driving efficiencies for the business.

We believe that AI is a tool that should be embraced to streamline processes, as it enables us to spend more time with our clients, getting to know their businesses, so we can ensure we get under the hood of their operations to deliver workplace solutions that are right for now and for the future.

Victorian auction buyers will soon receive a piece of information that has traditionally been withheld until bidding reaches it: the vendor’s reserve price.

Under new property-sale and underquoting laws, agents must publish the agreed reserve at least seven days before an auction or fixed-date sale. Most changes begin on 1 October 2026 and apply to auctions and fixed-date sales held from 16 October.

The reserve must be presented as a single dollar amount. Advertising and the new Property Price Statement must be updated to match it, without qualifiers such as “from”, “over” or “starting at”. If the reserve has not been published seven days before the scheduled sale, the auction or fixed-date sale cannot proceed and penalties may apply.

For buyers, the immediate benefit is clearer budget discipline. A purchaser should be less likely to pay for inspections, strata reviews, contract advice and loan preparation on a property whose seller will not accept a price within the advertised range.

That does not mean the published reserve predicts the result. Competitive bidding may still carry a property far beyond it. Nor does it remove the need to value the property independently. The reserve is the seller’s minimum at that stage of the campaign, not an expert statement of market value.

The Statement of Information will be replaced by a more prominent Property Price Statement. Agents must disclose key features of the property and of the comparable sales used to support the quoted price. Where three appropriate comparables cannot be identified, one or two must be supplied if they exist.

Sold-price transparency will also increase. Agents must add the unconditional sale price to the Property Price Statement within seven days and keep that statement available publicly for at least 18 months, subject to limited exemptions including personal or family-violence concerns.

Later changes will require Section 32 vendor statements to be made available earlier, including at least 14 days before an auction or fixed-date sale from June 2027. From July 2027, agents will be prevented from taking commission from deposits released before settlement.

Vendors and agents will need to adjust campaign strategy. Setting a reserve earlier may reduce last-minute flexibility and make price expectations more visible to competing buyers. Some vendors may prefer private treaty campaigns, although those sales remain subject to broader pricing and disclosure laws.

For buyers, the practical response is not simply to bid up to the disclosed reserve. Use it as one data point alongside comparable sales, building and pest reports, owners-corporation records, planning constraints and finance approval. Decide on a maximum before the auction and do not confuse the seller’s minimum with your own valuation.

Key dates

– 1 October 2026: Most new rules commence
– 9 October 2026: First reserve disclosures may be required for sales on 16 October
– 16 October 2026: New reserve rules apply to auctions/fixed-date sales from this date
– 1 June 2027: Earlier Section 32 availability begins
– 1 July 2027: Restrictions on commission from released deposits begin
– 1 December 2027: Broader sold-price reporting to Consumer Affairs begins

Futureproofing the Workplace: Inside the Offices of 2050

Geyer Valmont CEO Marcel Zalloua explains how AI, data and design intelligence are reshaping today’s commercial spaces so they remain fit for purpose in 2050 and beyond.