Is This The New Equation For The Office?
How One Variable Can Multiply or Dilute A Building’s IRR
What if the value of real estate no longer hinged on square footage, lease length, or location — but on alignment?
Across the globe, forward-thinking companies are making real estate decisions that reflect more than just location.
They’re asking:
How does this building reflect who we are?
How does it reinforce our values?
How will it help us attract and retain the kind of talent that fuels our culture?
In that context, we need to be asking:
How does real estate remain one of the most strategic tools for brand expression, cultural alignment, and long-term business performance?
It’s a question more landlords and operators are beginning to explore,
and a new equation may help reframe how we think about value creation.
A New Formula for a New Era
Real estate has always had its formulas.
Location × rent roll.
Cost per square foot.
Yield over time.
But what if there’s another variable we’re overlooking?
What if brand — not as a marketing layer, but as a strategic force — has the power to reshape returns?
We’re not just talking about signage or color palettes.
We’re talking about the identity of a building:
what it stands for,
who it’s for,
and how clearly it signals that purpose to the people it’s meant to attract.
That signal comes through every choice — from the space and service, to the stories and communities it supports.
It’s early.
Few buildings today lead with brand in this way. But the potential is there. And if we begin to treat brand as a core input, not just an output, a new equation starts to emerge:
When Brand Becomes a Multiplier
Where:
V = Values
C = Curation
P = Programming
B = Brand strength
LTV = Lifetime Value per Member
N = Number of Aligned Members
In this model, brand (B) becomes a multiplier — enhancing the impact of values, curation, and programming. The stronger the brand, the stronger the alignment. The deeper the connection. And the greater the return.
That multiplier effect begins with clear values (V) — the belief system a space is built around. Curation (C) is how those values are communicated outward to attract aligned people. It’s not just how the space looks or feels; it’s how the right people are brought together. Programming (P) then builds on that by reinforcing shared identity through events and content.
Together, these elements create cohesion — not just aesthetic consistency, but cultural clarity. That’s what gives the brand its strength — and its power to perform.
What Happens When Brand Is Missing?
But what happens when that brand is weak? Vague? Unintentional?
In its absence, the brand variable might not disappear — it might simply default. And that default can dilute everything else you're trying to build.
The equation shifts:
Same components. Same goals.
But without brand clarity, cohesion weakens.
Engagement fades. Alignment becomes harder to sustain.
And the community — which could have been a competitive advantage — becomes indifferent.
These aren’t competing truths.
They’re two sides of the same possibility, one driven by intentional design, the other by default.
So the real question becomes:
What if brand isn’t just a signal to the market, but a lever for performance?
What if the brands that express their purpose most clearly become the ones that perform best?
And what would it look like if more real estate operators started designing for alignment — not just occupancy?
For landlords and operators, the opportunity isn’t just to fill space — it’s to shape a brand experience that people want to be part of.
The Opportunity Ahead
As the workplace evolves, we’re seeing a shift from utility to identity.
The best workplaces of the next decade won’t win by offering more desks or shinier amenities.
They’ll win by offering something more meaningful.
Clarity. A sense of belonging. A reason to come in. A reason to stay.
Because maybe the most important question in commercial real estate today isn’t what we build.
It’s who we build it for,
and why they choose to stay.