The Amenities Roadmap

― From Checklist to Experience

The Amenities Roadmap

Front Cover: The way we work and live is changing, and the spaces we create need to keep pace. Left: Ground floor amenities, like food service and communal tables, provide on-site benefits for tenants and the surrounding community.

More isn’t always more. Tenants crave a curated experience.

Today’s market requires the need for mixed-use developments that offer a combination of spaces for living, learning, and working. A well-chosen suite of amenities can enrich such environments, enhancing a sense of community and supporting culture across project typologies—whether a residential project, a lab or office building, or any combination of the above.

Amenities offerings must be much richer and more meaningful than a concierge desk or a pool table in the lobby; the amenities that enhance quality of life are defined by thoughtfully curated activities and programs that engage occupants, and enhance the project’s overall offering.

19.6%

National Office Vacancy Rate in Q4 2023. Moody’s Analytics.

87%

Business leaders who believe that the right workplace model is integral to their organization’s success. Deloitte Insights.

What do the numbers tell us?

In a challenging leasing market, the developments that stand out are the ones that offer the best quality of life for tenants and support the success of organizations or residents.

While the functional aspects of a space are ever important, amenities are increasingly vital to meet tenants’ needs throughout the day. From dining areas, fitness centers, and outdoor seating to on site day-care, wellness spaces, and more, amenities differentiate and transform a workplace or residential building into a desirable, multi-faceted destination.

We plan with you every step of the way to find what works.

1. Assess the context

We’ll work together to analyze the surrounding neighborhood context. What is available?

What is missing?

2. Examine the asset

We conduct due diligence on the physical building site to explore the conditions and mitigate potential challenges.

5. Propose the solutions

After listening to your priorities, we present offerings that distinguish the asset and define a building identity.

6. Envision the future

We work with you to match the desired tenant experience with industry trends to create unique market positioning.

3. Define the potential

Through multiple engagement sessions, we listen to your project goals, reveal potential, and imagine new possibilities.

4. Set the expectations

We’ll share programming and market precedents for your specific user group feedback and align on best practices.

7. Design the experience

Perkins&Will designs timeless, sustainable, and healthy tenant experiences, aligned with your culture and values.

8. Evaluate the success

We love to hear how spaces are used, what is working, and what could be better. We’ll keep in touch after the job is done.

Defining Culture

Childcare

Pet day care

Hair salon

Barber shop

Mail services

Concierge

Car charging

Chiropractor

Doctor

Dentist

Therapy

Dry cleaning

Pet spa

Grooming

Transit

Grocery

Pharmacy

Bank

ATM

Business lounge

Sustainable programs

Parking

Valet parking

Car detailing

Security

Doorman

Private storage

Function rooms

Phone rooms

Focus rooms

Incubator spaces

Study rooms

Innovation spaces

Reception Office space

Co-working

Conference rooms

Boardrooms

Meeting spaces

Maker spaces

Collaboration & presentation areas

Game room

Arcade

Retail

Event space

Public Art

Gallery

Museum

Library

Music room

Photography studio

Art studio

Ceramics workshop

Dance studio

Theater

Movie theater

Club lounge

Mixing studio

Library

Video game room

Golf simulator

Walking trails

Garden

Playground

Tennis courts

Pickleball

Park

Rock climbing

Mini golf

Bike path

Zen garden

Amphitheater

Athletic field

Track

Basketball court

Winter garden

Allotments

Fire pit

Food trucks

Picnic & grill area

Putting green

Terrace/ rooftop

Outdoor dining

Coffee shop

Juice bar

Brewery

Restaurant

Cafeteria

Vending

Bar

Cocktail lounge

Speakeasy

Community kitchen

Private dining

Catering

Mothers room

Nap room

Massage room

Meditation room

Prayer room

Wellness lounge

All gender restrooms

Spa

Gym

Exercise classes

Yoga

Spinning

Biophilia

Locker rooms

Bike storage

Chapel

Identifying the amenities that will meet unique community needs is critical.

Amenities provide comfort, convenience, and enjoyment. When designed well, amenities are an integral part of workplace infrastructure that enrich and support both physical and mental health. They are a way to strengthen the social fabric that exists within the workplace or residential community, while simultaneously providing a necessary relief valve for day-to-day stresses.

The range of possible amenities is increasing in number and effectiveness, and activities are finding relevance beyond their traditional audiences. For example, the workplace market is looking beyond historic “office” amenities and seeking more diverse and engaging offerings traditionally found in residential or hospitality environments.

To respond to these changes, we have developed a holistic view of the amenities landscape defined by the cultures they support.

Above: A Perkins&Will survey revealed clear preferences for commercial and residential amenities in the northeast U.S.

― WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE?

Services provide convenience and save people valuable time in their day.

Clockwise from Above: Day care services make parents lives easier; lockers allow for safe storage of belongings during the workday; pet services make sure dogs never have to be left alone for too long.

Left: Secure and easily accessible bike storage is also linked to wellbeing as it encourages healthier lifestyles.

Work

Above & Left: Workspaces don’t just mean desks. Areas for lectures or panel discussions, collaborative and creative work, and informal huddles create a more dynamic workplace.

― WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE?

A variety of private and communal spaces support diverse work habits and collaboration.

Above: A conference room doesn’t have to be boring. Furnishings and art can show off brand culture and create identity.

Right: Alcoves for private work are individually scaled and provide a quiet, informal option.

― WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE?

Lifestyle spaces offer residential comfort, to encourage socializing and sharing interests.

Lifestyle

Above: Libraries can be curated with relevant reading material and objects to inspire tenants and offer a place to relax.

Left: Game rooms provide an on-site place to decompress and socialize.

Right: Living rooms equipped with music, whether records or instruments, allow for entertainment and connection over shared interests.

― WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE?

On-site access to quality food and beverage choices brings people together.

Food & Beverage

Clockwise from left: Food & beverage amenities like a cafeteria, market, or bar create places for tenants to socialize, and offer the convenience of not having to go off site for desirable options.

Outdoor

Above: In residential developments, roof deck amenities can provide features like grills or large tabes that are lacking in small, enclosed apartments.

Right: Private ground-level areas for dining or casually working encourage tenants to take in nature.

Increased access to the outdoors improves mood and provides a safe, healthy escape.

Above: Private roof decks offer corporate tenants space to entertain and a peaceful, openair break from the city during the workday.

Right: A public street-level plaza creates places of respite and engages the community.

― WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE?

Well-being

Above: A basketball court can be repurposed for other types of fitness classes or activities when not in use.

Left: Fitness centers add value for tenants looking to pursue an active lifestyle.

― WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE?

Fitness spaces and wellness rooms encourage a culture of physical and mental health.

Right: Wellness rooms promote mental health by providing a safe space to rest and recover during the workday. A lactation or nursing room give new mothers the privacy to tend to their bodily needs.

Below: Fitness studios can offer class packages at a discount to tenants.

What could a day look like?

Commute

Bike storage encourages active lifestyles.

Secure

Lockers for storing belongings allow for personal flexibility.

Connect

Taking lunch outside allows for connection with one another and with nature.

Focus

Quiet libraries provide a comfortable setting to get focused work done.

Collaborate

Flexible team spaces encourage sharing and collaboration.

Caffeinate

An in-house coffee bar starts the day right.

Meet

State-of-the-art conference rooms make a good impression.

Sweat

An on-site gym supports health and fitness.

The right amenities are the ones that create community.

Long-term success depends on strengthening the communities that our commerical or residential projects serve. People attract people, and when strong connections are built, everyone wins. After all, it’s not just about attraction; it’s also about retention.

A space that is put to good use is a sustainable space. When creating an amenities strategy, we design to promote high utilization by being adaptable and focusing on the different ways a space can flex to match the needs of users throughout the day. By considering the activities, programming, and long-term operation of the uses it is designed around, we work with our clients to identify and create the key ingredients to support thriving communities.

Designing our Boston Studio

In 2023, Perkins&Will moved to a sustainable, collaborative new workplace in downtown Boston.

Learn how we did it below.

225 FRANKLIN STREET