What does JLL’s NXT Office really do?

They say that seeing is believing. But when it comes to technology, that is no mean feat. Software systems, data platforms, algorithms and search tools are, by their very nature, intangible.

For an industry such as property – one that has literally been built up around the creation of physical assets – visualising new technological advances can prove challenging. While most real estate companies now accept that digital transformation is a necessity for survival, this is only the first step.

Experts on both the property and tech sides of the equation widely think that understanding the inner workings of these new technologies is not the answer.

“You don’t need to know everything about how blockchain works, in the same way that you don’t need to know the exact components of a microchip and how that works,” says Dan Hughes, founder of proptech consultancy Alpha Property Insight.

But there is something to be said for being able to relate to the systems, apps, concepts and tools required to deliver the sort of transformation most real estate companies are hoping to achieve. What if that comes down, in part, to the right environment?

This week JLL unveiled NXT Office, an immersive technology with the potential to cut down the time it takes occupiers to search for new London office space by 85%. But the launch did not stop there. The technology is accompanied by a new, custom-built studio at its London HQ.

Black glass walls, clean lines and a dark grey interior finish have resulted in a space that feels like something halfway between a private cinema and an action movie situation room. The vibe of the latter is accentuated further by nine, huge interconnected screens running around the circumference of the room.

Collaboration

The space has been created to encourage collaboration between JLL and its clients as part of the search process for new offices in London. But it does something else, too. It brings the technology to life.

The tech itself, which combines Mezzanine by Oblong Industries and CoCreate by Engage Works, through a bespoke app built specifically for use by JLL, is actually quite hard to imagine as a concept – a common problem facing property companies as they try to get their heads around a multitude of digital innovations.

In the case of NXT Office, you can say it is an app that streamlines the office viewing and selection process until the cows come home. You can say it does that via a platform that will allow occupiers to share information in order to accelerate the decision making involved in finding new office space. But there is no explanation that comes close to the power of a purpose-built innovation room to bring it to life.

“Everyone loves big screens,” says digital strategist and proptech commentator Antony Slumbers. “And while it depends a lot on the value proposition and what job JLL is trying to do for its clients here, there is definitely something to be said for presenting technology and data like this.”

He is quick to add, however, that while creating a physical environment in which to showcase new technology is a clever idea, the latter will have to be able to stand on its own: “The technology has to make life easier and do its job, beyond just looking cool.”

Neil Prime, head of central London offices at JLL, says that the combination of the technology and the space will result in the type of early-stage collaboration that could dramatically cut down the time it takes to find new office space: “Our NXT Office studio will transform the process of selecting new office space for clients. The time involved in moving from long-list to shortlist will be cut dramatically as occupiers will have detailed access to available properties and they will be able to enjoy guided virtual tours supported by pioneering technology.”