Building for the experience economy

Real estate is no longer just about the space you build — it’s about the experience you create around it. As expectations around how people work, connect, and spend their time evolve, owners and developers are rethinking what makes an asset competitive. From placemaking and community programming to sustainable industrial design and amenity-rich offices, experience is becoming an increasingly important part of the real estate value proposition.

At Montréal Real Estate Forum 2026, we spoke with industry experts Claire Tousignant, Ugo Cianciulli and Brett Miller about how experience, sustainability and changing workforce expectations are influencing the way spaces are designed and delivered.

Designing places people want to be

Claire Tousignant, Managing Partner, MassivArt, brings a human-centred perspective to the future of real estate design. Her insights explore how emotional connection, early activation and community programming can transform developments from functional spaces into places where people genuinely want to spend time.

For owners and developers looking to differentiate their assets, Claire offers a perspective on why experience is becoming an increasingly important part of the value proposition:

The bigger takeaway? The most successful spaces may be those that create a sense of belonging before a tenant ever signs a lease.

Building for a more sustainable future

Ugo Cianciulli, Director of Real Estate Development, Loracon, looks at how sustainability and changing workforce expectations are influencing the industrial sector. His insights explore electrification, net-zero design and the growing role of amenities in creating buildings that are both more efficient and more attractive to today's workforce.

As tenants place greater emphasis on comfort, productivity and long-term performance, industrial design is evolving beyond the traditional warehouse model. Watch the full insights:

The shift is already underway: sustainability and workforce expectations are becoming fundamental to how industrial assets are designed, rather than considerations added later.

Experience is becoming the office differentiator

Brett Miller, CEO, Canderel, brings the conversation to the office market, where the flight to quality continues to reshape tenant expectations. His insights explore how amenities, programming, and technology are being used to create workplaces that offer more than a place to work.

From collaboration and wellness spaces to hospitality-style services and concierge apps, Brett highlights how owners are using experience to make buildings more compelling to today's workforce:

The key details: When the workplace competes for people's time, experience becomes part of the product.

Designing for the experience economy

Across placemaking, industrial development and office strategy, one theme is emerging: the experience economy is changing what people expect from real estate.

Experience, sustainability and workforce expectations are increasingly influencing how assets are designed, positioned and operated — creating new opportunities for owners and developers willing to rethink what makes a building valuable.

The next generation of successful spaces won't simply meet today's needs. They'll create experiences that give people a reason to choose them.

Want to continue the conversation? Join senior real estate leaders at the Ottawa Real Estate Forum this October, where industry experts will explore the market trends, investment opportunities, and strategies shaping Ottawa and the broader National Capital Region, including how changing workforce expectations are influencing the future of real estate.