Nice to read you Chris.
I must admit, my rejection to the office buildings
Is quite irrational.
It comes from long ago, when I was young in Paris
And studdying in fine arts, I found one of those part time
Jobs for studdents to make extra money in a company
Named Sanofy. (they own some big perfume names).
At that time, the company was located in the Champs Elysee,
In a very chic building and I could go walking from home,
Passing by Trocadero etc...Paris glamour, Paris naughty,
Nice walk, nice boutiques etc...
Then, for cost reasons, they delocated in the subburbs in one
Of those huge buildings. It tooked 2 hours to reach there,
And instead of the boutiques, huggly subburbian's houses and grey people. Long corridors, glass windows everywhere
And depressed secretaries. Not one bar outside but just the
Company's cafe (if that could be name a such)...horrible!
Since then, I started to get an irrational rejection to any kind
Of office building. Lol.
In Europe, particularly in Europe (post war), the subburbs have
Been absolutly deshumanized by bad arquitecture decisions.
What has to be nice were the downtowns but they completly
Screw it in the urbanistic plans for new areas. Now it has changed but 50 years of dammage aren't easy to erradicate.
Go to Paris, the downtown is spectacular, but drive a mile away
And it's just shocking, hugly.
I beleive in the US you did it better on that aspect.