Issue 40 ☞ An iceberg on the move
And - The Rise of the Envy Office
Elevated News
An iceberg on the move
In 1985, one of the world’s largest icebergs, A23a, broke away from the Antarctic’s Filcher Ice Shelf, became stuck to the ocean floor, and “remained for many years in the Weddell Sea,” according to the Guardian. No longer. On November 15, satellite imagery showed A23a drifting loose past the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, creaking its way slowly “beyond Antarctic waters”. According to experts, it has already been drifting for more than a year.
What will happen to the monster berg next? Scientists are unsure. A23a is about three times the size of New York City, says the Guardian, and more than twice the size of Greater London. (It measures, according to press agencies, around 1,500 square miles.) Though large icebergs have previously broken free from similar shelfs. “it’s rare to see an iceberg of this size on the move,” the British Antarctic Survey glaciologist Oliver Marsh said. Scientists are monitoring the situation. Might it slowly drift toward South Africa, where it could disrupt shipping? Might it become grounded at South Georgia island, posing problems for Antartica’s wildlife by cutting off access to the island’s surrounding waters, on which the animals depend for food? Might it end up in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, “a path known as Iceberg alley, where other [icebergs] of its kind can be found bobbing in dark waters”?
Yes, yes, and yes. What does it all mean? The planet is warming, for one. And, maybe, more people are taking note? News stories on the A23a breakaway ran at CNN, the BBC, Reuters. AP News, CBS, the Daily Mail, Newsweek, ABC and several other high profile media agencies. Radio Six music produced a feature on the story. Larger stories on why and how the iceberg found freedom are already in the works. Is this good news? It would have been better for the iceberg to have stayed in place, of course. But at least now people are finding out about it.
Elevated News
The Rise of the Envy Office
Before the pandemic and the widespread adoption of remote work, office spaces were often characterised by a mix of cubicles and open-floor spaces. This design aimed at maximising space and fostering collaboration, but it had drawbacks, like limited privacy and personalisation.
This week, the New York Times reported on how companies are now investing in aesthetically pleasing workplaces in an attempt to lure remote workers back to the office; Magic Spoon, the cereal manufacturer, revealed an effort to create "envy spaces" – areas within offices that are designed to appeal to the aesthetic senses of employees tapped in to social media. The "Envy Office" trend marks a departure from the conventional office setup. Jordan Goldstein, a principal at Gensler, the world-renowned architecture firm, explains that companies are “taking cues from home, from hospitality, from Pinterest” to make office spaces that are social media-friendly. The interior design firm Roarke ask: “We came from working on our sofas in yoga pants — what can we do to make employees want to come back to the office?” Google's approach involved putting on a Lizzo gig for workers, and offering employees cold brews. Brooke Erinn Duffy, associate professor of communication at Cornell University, argues that executives believe they can retain “employees by hyping this fun, enjoyable, hyper-social workplace.” Envy spaces reflect a shift in workplace values and employee expectations, where the workplace is not just a functional space for productivity but an extension of a lifestyle.
Will new interiors bring employees back to the office? Who knows – perhaps it's just a distraction in any case. An August report found that 90% of companies plan to implement return-to-office policies by the end of 2024. Nearly 30% of companies "will threaten to fire employees who don't comply with in-office requirements," according to the same study. Google employee reviews already take into account workplace attendance. The Guardian recently announced its plan to force staff into the newspaper's London office three days a week. The five-day-a-week standard might be dead. But business leaders want employees back in the office. And that desire doesn't seem to depend on whether they can provide cold brews or Instagrammable backdrops.
Certified Recs
What to eat, read and visit this week
What to eat
Laurent, a haute French cuisine in Paris. It locates in an beautiful storied mansion, serving amazing food and dining experience.
What to read
Katherine Rundell's children's novel Impossible Creatures, named Waterstones' book of the year. Like Pullman, like Tolkien – a modern classic.
Where to visit
The Reethaus, a new, beautiful, futuristic culture centre in Berlin.
Listen to our Ultimate Picks Vol. 40
Thanks for reading—we appreciate you. Until next Thursday.