Growing Futures with Purpose and Resilience
“Change shouldn’t be feared. It’s the one constant that can unlock opportunities for people, businesses, and the planet.”
– Richard Pickering
Welcome to 2025! A new year brings fresh opportunities to rethink, reshape, and grow the places where we live, work, and connect. At Grow Places, we focus on nurturing thriving communities, not just for today, but for generations to come.
As we face the pressing challenges of sustainability, technological change, and shifting societal needs, industry leaders like Richard Pickering (Cushman & Wakefield) and Colm Lacey (Soft Cities) highlight how we can rise to these challenges. Their insights inspire us to ask: Who are we growing for? How do we adapt? And how do we ensure the future of our cities and businesses is resilient and inclusive?
Real Estate at a Crossroads
“Real estate has gotten away with being slow to innovate. Those days are over.” – Richard Pickering
Richard Pickering warns that the industry faces unprecedented disruption driven by three key forces:
• Sustainability as a Priority: The built environment accounts for approximately 40% of global carbon emissions. Retrofitting, data-driven accountability, and collaboration are essential to future-proof our assets.
• Technology’s Transformative Role: AI and augmented reality are reshaping how spaces are developed, used, and valued. “Serendipity remains the great attractor of cities, but technology is fast closing the gap.”
• Flexibility for Survival: Adapting to changing work patterns, tenant needs, and sustainability demands is now vital. “Designing for yesterday is a fatal error.”
Soft Cities: People First in Development
“The best developments are born from collaboration and empathy, with the end user always in mind.” – Colm Lacey
Colm Lacey challenges developers to prioritise people over profit. His principles include:
• Communities as Clients: Every project must consider the people who will live and work there. “Social value is not a luxury; it’s the foundation of great places.”
• Reimagining Details: Mixed-use spaces and affordable housing require fresh thinking and innovative funding.
• Vibrancy Over Monotony: “The best cities retain their ability to surprise and adapt. That requires giving space for reinvention.”
Key Takeaways for 2025
• Be Ready for Change: Embrace sustainability and technology to stay ahead.
• Grow for Social Value: Focus on inclusivity, affordability, and community impact.
• Collaborate to Succeed: Bring together public and private expertise to solve shared challenges.
• Design for Flexibility: Build spaces that adapt to evolving needs.
“Real estate is standing on a melting iceberg. If we don’t move quickly to embrace change, we’ll be sunk by disruptors already circling us.” – Richard Pickering
“The best cities are alive. They surprise us, adapt to us, and reflect the stories of the people who inhabit them.” – Colm Lacey
2025 is the year to grow with purpose, lead with resilience, and collaborate with empathy. Together, we can nurture places that inspire, connect, and endure.
Let’s grow places—together.
Thank you for being part of the Grow Places community.
We look forward to continuing these conversations and building places that matter—together.