Commercial Design Lab: Robert Clemens on Labs, Conversions and Workplace Design

New York City’s commercial real estate landscape is evolving quickly, as owners rethink how existing buildings can accommodate new uses and changing tenant expectations.

In the latest episode of Commercial Design Lab, Robert Clemens, managing principal, corporate and commercial, New York, at Perkins&Will, joins Commercial Property Executive’s Beata Lorincz to discuss the city’s life science sector, commercial building conversions and the trends reshaping workplace and retail design.

Although New York’s life science market has faced leasing and availability challenges, Clemens believes the sector is broadening rather than disappearing. Instead of thinking narrowly about traditional lab space, he sees the future in research and innovation environments that can accommodate everything from robotics and battery research to prototyping and education.

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“Science has evolved and science will continue to evolve,” Clemens said. “I like to think of it not so much as a life science market, but as a research and innovation market.”

The conversation also explores what makes commercial buildings suitable for conversion. According to Clemens, infrastructure and adaptability are key, whether a property is being transformed into residential, medical or research space. He also points to a growing trend of health-care providers moving into traditional Class A office buildings as they seek locations closer to patients.

Beyond conversions, Clemens discusses the changing meaning of hospitality in commercial design. Rather than focusing only on finishes and amenities, owners are increasingly thinking about service, branding and the overall experience tenants have across entire portfolios.

Looking ahead, he believes flexibility will remain central to New York’s built environment, as owners increasingly seek buildings that can adapt to new technologies, changing work patterns and future uses.

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