The Challenge

A major office development in the heart of a European capital set out to redefine the workplace. The vision was to create a next-generation campus that blends sustainability, technology, and human-centric design all while transforming a historically significant site into a vibrant, future-ready environment.

Achieving this vision meant integrating intelligent infrastructure across both modern high-rise towers and restored heritage buildings. From lighting and energy systems to modular power layouts, the requirements called for a level of flexibility and responsiveness far beyond conventional real estate projects.

Client’s Initial Hurdles

• Complexity in routing services across heritage and new-build structures
• Lack of modular power and lighting systems to support evolving workspace layouts
• Absence of a unified infrastructure capable of real-time monitoring and control
• Limited integration between smart systems and building management platforms
• Tight project timelines aligned with global occupancy targets

Why This Was Critical

Why were conventional systems inadequate for this project?

Traditional electrical and lighting solutions offered no real-time adaptability and limited scope for integration, falling short of the project’s ambition for intelligent, responsive infrastructure.

Why was flexibility essential in workspace infrastructure?

Workspaces needed to support dynamic team structures and reconfigurable zones. Without modular systems, every layout change would have led to disruption, waste, and rework.

Why was real-time data and automation critical?

Automation was central to optimizing energy use, reducing operational overhead, and creating an environment responsive to user occupancy and daylight availability.

What risks would the project face without smart infrastructure?

Delays in occupancy, inefficient energy usage, system redundancy, and compromised user experience were all potential consequences without intelligent, interoperable systems.

Why was a digitally coordinated solution necessary?

A unified approach ensured that every layer from IoT-enabled lighting to underfloor power systems could work seamlessly across architectural boundaries, without slowing construction or requiring retrofitting.

Gaps in Existing Information

The site presented structural variations, legacy elements, and inconsistent design documentation. Integrating modern smart infrastructure into a mixed-use environment required precise coordination across architectural, electrical, and sustainability domains none of which could be achieved through conventional workflows

Why Specific Requirements Mattered

The building’s performance was not measured by features alone but by how intelligently those features interacted. Lighting systems needed to sense and adapt. Power layouts had to remain invisible yet accessible. Every installed component had to serve today’s workflows and tomorrow’s uncertainties. These weren’t just technical requirements they were strategic enablers of the broader workplace vision.

The Desapex Solution

A fully integrated smart infrastructure system was delivered, combining precision engineering with flexible, future-ready technologies:

• IoT-Enabled Lighting System DALI-2 lighting controls were deployed with real-time automation, daylight harvesting, and occupancy-based response. The system was built on MQTT communication protocols for seamless integration with smart building platforms.
• Modular Power Distribution An underfloor-to-desk power system supported agile workspace planning, hot-desking, and evolving team layouts all while reducing installation waste and improving sustainability.
• Cable Containment Across Structures Robust containment systems ensured secure, efficient routing of electrical infrastructure across new and heritage zones, accommodating architectural constraints without compromising performance.

Project Timeline & Milestones

• Weeks 1-3: Engineering design and systems planning
• Weeks 4-7: Procurement, supply, and phased installation
• Weeks 8-10: Final commissioning, integration testing, and system go-live

Software & Technology Used

• DALI-2 smart lighting controls
• MQTT-based communication infrastructure
• Modular power distribution systems
• Integrated cable containment and routing
• Smart building dashboard connectivity

The Real Business Value Delivered

• Real-time energy management across all zones
• Enhanced flexibility for layout changes without infrastructure rework
• Improved user comfort and control
• Reduction in energy waste through intelligent automation
• Future scalability for workplace evolution and tech upgrades

What This Means for Future Projects

When buildings begin to think, everything changes. Systems stop functioning in isolation and start responding as one to light, to movement, to people. Walls no longer define how space is used; infrastructure does.

This project is a blueprint for that future. A workplace that doesn’t just house teams it supports them. A power system that flows with how people move. Lighting that knows when to dim, when to brighten, and when to turn off. Infrastructure that disappears into the background, yet shapes everything from productivity to sustainability.

In a world where work is no longer a fixed destination, spaces like this become fluid responsive to rhythm, purpose, and time. And the success of this transformation proves that when you design for adaptability, you design for longevity.