spacelab_ co-founder Nathan Lonsdale on making sense_

Ever since founding spacelab_ back in 2002, Nathan Lonsdale and Andrew Budgen have been at the forefront of workplace strategy and design. Anyone who’s ever met them will know they’ve never been ones to settle for the easy solution, always looking to push things forward and innovate, constantly asking the question ‘is there a better way?’. That’s what they’ve been doing with spacelab_ for the past 18 years, and every business within the lab_ collective. And with a mission to revolutionise how space is used globally, sense_ is certainly no different. 

We sat down with Nathan to discuss what sparked the idea for sense_, what he’s most excited about, and what advice he’d give to businesses right now.

Firstly, what was the motivation behind sense_?

When Andrew and I first started spacelab_ 18 years ago, we wanted to explore how people connect in space. So we started working with UCL to develop strategies for how we could use data to shape spaces to help people connect better. Ever since, spacelab_ has been delivering countless workplace strategies, and winning many awards along the way. But technology has evolved since then, and we started to notice a few problems with how space is used and where we could help our customers more effectively, but couldn’t in the way we were currently doing things.

The key problem we identified was once we’d completed a space, for the first few months it would be great – a fantastic space and everyone would love it. But, as the business evolved over time, the space and the way it was set up would slowly start to not work for them anymore. The business would grow and transform, and yet, without ever really changing itself, the office would be expected to accommodate all types of transformation. So we started to ask the question, how can we provide the customer with a service, using the latest technology, so they can ensure their space is always fit for purpose and adapts with them? That’s where the idea for sense_ was born.

Why now?

Andrew and I, along with the rest of the team, have actually been working on this for the past two years. And now, more than ever, we need to understand how people are going to use space. We’ve got data from over 50,000 people and 150 businesses, all working in different ways. But that’s all from pre-COVID times, and while it’s still useful to some extent, it’s sort of irrelevant now – no one knows what’s going to happen moving forward.

That’s where sense_ comes in. It tracks how people are using their space as they return, providing businesses and decision makers with the relevant information and insights they need to help them continually iterate and shape their space to adapt to evolving ways of working.

There’s a lot of uncertainty around the future of the workplace. What advice would you give to businesses right now?  

I’d say don’t react to the current situation. Rather than react, find the minimum you need to do to get people back into a space safely – and then watch and observe. Once you understand the dynamics of the space and behavioural patterns of how people use it, then start to think about how you can make the changes. There’s a real danger at the moment that everyone’s reacting – businesses are going to try and create something, and it’s not going to support the way people are going to want to work. That’s why sense_ is so valuable for businesses right now, it gives them the ability to sit back, see what’s happening, and then sense_ will give them the insights and recommendations on what they need to do. Over time, as things keep changing, sense_ will give you all the insights you need to know about the way people are working based on their real-time occupancy. 

You’ve come from more of an architectural background. What have you learned since founding sense_? 

The tech industry and the architecture industry are polar opposites. From the way we work, the way we think, the way we shape ourselves as a team, the way we deliver, and the way we engage with our customers. It’s made me realise just how much the architecture industry can learn from the tech industry. The tech world is just so exciting because it’s always shaping something different. It’s always moving forward and always looking at new ways to do things. 

What are you most excited about?

Getting sense_ installed in our customers’ spaces as they slowly start to return to the workplace, and seeing the impact that sense_ has on their spaces, how they use them, and watching the impact it will have on their people. At the moment, it feels a little like where we were with spacelab_ all those 18 years ago, in that it’s a completely new way of doing things – redefining how data is used to shape space for people. As we start to see customers iterating the way they shape their space, based on our insights, that’s going to be a really exciting moment for the sense_ team.

In what way do you think 'sense_ will have the biggest impact on its customers?

One of the biggest impacts will be showing decision makers how much space they actually need, based on people’s behaviours within their space. What you don’t measure, you can’t effectively manage. sense_ will also enable businesses to continually iterate their environment which, I believe, is the future of how all space should evolve. By showing them which spaces are working and which aren’t, they can make the necessary adjustments so their space will always work for their teams. People will find that the space is constantly improving to suit how they’re using it. And, ultimately, when a space is used more effectively and efficiently, it’s more sustainable and better for the planet. After all, we all have a responsibility to minimise our impact on the planet. 

So far, the focus has been around the workplace, but what’s the potential of sense_ to be used across all types of spaces?

We’ve naturally started with the workplace because that’s what we know. However, what we’re starting to understand is we’re really measuring behavioural patterns within spaces – and that’s not limited to the workplace. This means that sense_ can be used within any sector or type of space that people occupy, helping businesses to understand how they can set their space up – whether for a typical workplace, within a retail or hospitality environment, or even in care homes to help families, hospitals to help shape space for their patients, or education to help schools and universities work more effectively for their students. 

Because we sit down with the customer at the start to understand their goals and aspirations on how they want to use their space, based on their future business strategy, sense_ is then able to tailor all the insights to continually nudge them towards these goals. With different sectors, the way we measure space is the same, just the insights will be tuned to their specific needs. sense_ is for buildings what Strava is for fitness.

Finally, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Do the right thing, the right thing will be done by you.