By carefully mapping out the layout and framework of coworking spaces with the individual always in mind, you can set your space apart from the rest.
Most people want views, open-air offices, stylish furnishings, and the ability to both collaborate and enjoy privacy when needed – enter The Sliding Door Company.
🎉 Coworking celebrations.
🎂 Scotland’s oldest coworking space turned 16! #
Congrats Claire Carpenter and the whole community at The Melting Pot Edinburgh.
👉 Read this.
🎂 COhatch turned 7! #
Congrats to Matthew Davis and the whole team!
Btw they’re now up to 40 locations open or being built, 592 non-profits/startups on scholarships, 39 repurposed building renovations and a team of 90.
👉 Read this.
📐 Madrid space nominated as leading project in workspace architecture #
Radio Intereconomia reports (in Spanish) that the prestigious architectural magazine Frame nominates LOOM Castellana 85, the latest space opened by LOOM in Azca, as a leading project in workspace architecture in 2023.
This follows LOOM and the SCOB studio recently being awarded the Popular Choice A+ Award 2023 awarded by Architizer A+ Awards, for their LOOM Plaza Catalunya project, in the category of best international coworking.
👉 Read this.
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✊ Coworking impact.
👏 Conference continues to remove price as barrier #
The 9th annual Coworking Canada Unconference arrives in Calgary & Banff next week. Since 2015, they’ve maintained a scholarship fund to ensure Coworking Canada events remain accessible to anyone who wishes to attend. 2023 applications are still open.
I love this, and hope to see more conferences removing barriers for attendees.
👉 Read this.
🇩🇪 Why one mayor is keen on municipality-owned coworking spaces #
Tobias Kremkau shares some thoughts from local mayor Marco Beckendorf about why their municipality operates 3 coworking spaces in a 220.2km² area with 4,200 inhabitants.
_ "Coworking spaces in municipal hands are important, especially in rural areas, in order to lead the way as a municipality and show that it is possible. It creates a positive mood when you initiate projects and thus revive fallow office space in the village and pull up the shutters again in shops that have been vacant for a long time." (sic, translated)_
👉 Read this.
Coworking news & views.
📜 What 8 coworking operators wished they knew before they started #
We asked 8 coworking owners and operators, “what is one thing you wish you knew before starting your space?”
Chris Davies (Uncommon) notes adopting a hospitality mindset, Lucas Langworthy (Greyduck Collective) recommends putting community building first, Chris Hoyt (The Pioneer Collective) reminds you to embrace slow & steady growth. Cynthia Dailey (ScribbleSpace), Colleen Moselle (Coco) and Erin Scarlett (Fountainhead) recommend being adaptable and expecting the unexpected. Katharine Chestnut (Alkaloid) and Alora Daunt (The Pearl Works) round off by highlighting the need to ask members what they’d like or want.
👉 Read this.
🙌 The coworking clubs aiming to help millennials make friends #
Groundfloor is a network of social clubs and coworking spaces aiming to mix working and meeting other people. Co-founded by Jermaine Ijieh, the "friendship incubator" has locations in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Rafael.
In the piece they look at why they landed on a $200 monthly price, becoming a new town square for millennials, and what it takes to foster a space for creating friendships.
👉 Read this.
📖 How a UK multipurpose center positions itself #
Alex Latham shares their answer to the question "what is The Ministry?" in the form of their brochure.
I love how they break their offering into 4 value propositions, namely "space to Work, Workout, Network or Notwork".
Have you got a brochure to show off? Share it with the TWIC community.
👉 Read this.
💡 The huge opportunity for further supporting businesses through workspace #
David Abrams hits it home. Although many building owners and operators know they should be working with their customers to help attract and retain great talent, in part through creating great experiences, a recent Gensler report notes that "nearly two-thirds of workplaces have not changed since the pandemic".
Community-focussed operators, with business supporting experience, this is your moment. Grab it!
👉 Read this.
🗽 How to get the most from shared space, from an NYC OG #
Lisa Skye, who ICYMI helped launch WeWork in 2010 and then co-founded Primary in 2016, shares some thoughts on how people can maximize their experience in a shared workspace.
Are these tips we all know well? Probably. Are they tips your community, or prospective members may know? Probably not. Talk to them, through whichever medium works for you. Tell them. Again.
👉 Read this.
💭 What does a cofounder of a coworking tech co think about? #
Nexudus shares another quick Q&A with one of their cofounders, this time Adrian Palacios. It’s always fun to learn more about the people behind the tech that so many spaces rely on – and get to see what drives and inspires them
👉 Read this.
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💻 Coworking technology.
🇮🇳 Corporate booking platform adds 100-location partner #
Desana notes that they’ve partnered up to make Awfis’ 100 workspace options bookable through their platform.
👉 Read this.
🇷🇴 Tech-enabled office pod network raises €2M and appoints new CEO #
Nooka Space, who specialize in "tech-enabled Proximity Office Pods" have raised fresh funding and appointed Irina Leca as their new CEO. Currently operating in 10 countries, they note that they "bridge the gap" for real estate developers who are eager to maximize their returns by leasing underutilized spaces.
A big part of their expansion plans is to license out their proprietary internet of things (IoT) system that can "transforming any cubicle or physical space into a smart office or meeting room, which can be booked on-demand through the Nooka Space mobile app".
👉 Read this.
Coworking data.
🥧 How a space in East Dulwich’s revenue gets sliced #
Vibushan Thirukumar shares a snapshot of how Oru’s East Dulwich revenue has been proportioned since 2020 between their business units in coworking, hospitality and wellbeing.
In 2020 their £399k was split 7%, 28% and 63% across Wellbeing, Coworking and Hospitality respectively. In 2023 their projected £1.549M was split 23% from Wellbeing, 28% from Coworking and 49% from Hospitality.
👉 Read this.
Coworking market moves.
Irvine Company Office slides into flex #
I’m a sucker for a funny office video. ICO use one to share that they’re moving into the flex industry with their new Flex+ offering.
👉 Read this.
🇬🇧 Execs from C&W and Habitas form whitelabel flex operator #
Covalt, is a new whitelabel flex workspace operator, founded by former Cushman & Wakefield flexible workspace executives, Calum Russell (CEO) and Dave Moran (COO), as well as Julian Arlett (CFO) from luxury hospitality group Habitas.
Offering landlords and investors a ‘start-to-finish’ service including branding, fit-out and management is a growing and increasingly competitive segment of the flexspace market.
👉 Read this.
🇮🇳 WeWork India aims to add 1.5M sqft in capacity #
In a quick-fire Q&A with Paras Arora from Qdesk, WeWork India CEO Karan Virwani shared where the local business of the global brand sits, and is aiming to go.
In short they’re currently supporting 70k members via over 90k desks at 50 locations spanning 6.5M sqft in 7 cities. They’re sitting at 81% capacity, are profitable, and are aiming for 8M sqft of capacity by March 2025.
👉 Read this.
🎨 Coworking franchise rebrands to Vast #
The parent network of brands like Office Evolution and Venture X has changed their name from CoWorks to Vast Coworking Group.
The press release notes that the group will continue to operate as a division of United Franchise Group and has seen strong results from 2023 so far (9 new locations opened and 28 new franchise agreements signed).
👉 Read this.
🎙 Coworking conversations.
Bernie Mitchell and Tony Bacigalupo discuss the State of Belonging 2023 report, and the strategies for connection on the Coworking Values podcast.
Mo Hamzian chats with Liz Elam on the GCUC podcast about VEL is bucking the trend of going big, to instead go small and wide.
Jamie Russo of Everything Coworking and Liz Elam of GCUC talk about numbers and Jamie’s passion for helping the industry get real about them.
Jen Luby chats with Jamie Russo discuss building values-driven coworking spaces, family-friendly places and various kid-friendly models on the Everything Coworking podcast.
📆 Coworking events.
🇨🇦 Coworking Canada heads to Calgary & Banff #
October 10-15: The 9th annual Coworking Canada Unconference heads to Calgary, October 10th-12th, with a leadership retreat in Banff, October 12th-15th, 2023. It’s a coworking community favorite! Scholarship tickets available.
Use the code "TWIC2023′ for $50.00 OFF any ticket.
👉 Read this.
