As the dust (read: raindrops) settles on another busy MIPIM in Cannes, here are our four key takeaways.
Overall, despite the mostly damp weather, there was a clear sense of measured optimism around investment, innovation and genuine partnerships. As one city Mayor put it, we must ‘forget the P word – procurement’ to help us navigate forwards collectively.
Data centres and ESG
Amidst industry chatter about major data centre investments, Arcadis launched its inaugural report The Design Forecast. Against a backdrop of technological advancement, climate challenges and shifting societal need, the report poses and answers some of the major questions about the future of the built environment. Importantly, this includes actionable insights and roadmaps that go beyond buzzwords.
Questions like, how can AI and advanced manufacturing offset the skills shortage? How can biophilic design support wellbeing and talent retention? And perhaps the biggest question given the advancement of AI and the global need for mass data, can we really make power hungry data centres sustainable (and less ugly to quote the Architects’ Journal)? The answer is yes, with some incredible prototypes underway. Read Arcadis’ report to find out how.
Beyond sports
An incredible array of new stadium designs were on show from Manchester to the New Murabba.
These projects are no longer being treated in isolation as ‘just’ venues. The golden thread connecting them is ambition to ensure they function as anchors for destinations and become economic drivers beyond football matches or concerts. Cohesive masterplanning and public realm is the key here and in the case of the £2bn new Manchester stadium, it sits at the heart of the local authority’s plans to regenerate over 300 acres around the stadium itself.
London calling
London Mayor Sadiq Khan made his first appearance at the festival for nine years, ‘banging the drum for London’ with 20 live investment opportunities. When combined with the array of “Get Britain Building” caps being worn around the festival, this made for a palpable buzz among the UK contingent. As one investor put it, “the fundamentals don’t change: invest in places where people want to spend time and you’ll see returns.”
On the London Stand, Fleet Street Quarter’s new interactive digital platform designed by VMI Studio showcased how the power of immersive digital storytelling can support successful community engagement and placemaking. This drew a remarkably strong crowd for 9am on a Wednesday.
And rumours were heard that next year we might see an offshoot of MIPIM in the UK, so perhaps Khan’s light-hearted competitive jibes at the French had some underlying bite after all. But, and it is a big but, with 4,208 construction firms becoming insolvent in 2024 in England and Wales, questions remain who will build out these big ambitions.
The ongoing rise of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia went big in Cannes. From two-storey pavilions with development models the size of entire London studio flats, to the unmistakable branding of various giga projects on banners the size of houses. It was impossible to miss or not be excited about the presence of the Kingdom here.
Fahad Al Hashem, assistant deputy minister of investment development at Ministry of Investment, proudly lauded that 52% of the Kingdom’s economy is now non-oil based. That sentiment would have been impossible to fathom 10 years ago.
Highlighting these changes, Hines - one of the globe’s largest real estate investors and managers - signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry highlighting the Kingdom’s commitment to attracting international partners.
And speaking on a panel, NEOM’s chief investment officer Manar Al Moneef said that what's good for the Kingdom can be good for the world in terms of the innovation and learnings being delivered. "It's about doing things differently, not following the same path."
Geoff Robjent, director
Get in touch if you would like to discuss how we can support your business around any of these areas.