A well-designed Coworking space provides members with more than a place to work. It’s a place of pride, a source of inspiration, and a promise that your members are a part of something awesome. The way a workspace is laid out, designed, and decorated can contribute to creating a culture that is creative and innovative. By finding the perfect balance between productivity and aesthetic, you can seamlessly bridge design and productivity through the following principles.
Envisioning The “Flow” Of Space
Form follows function still applies today in Coworking as it did when Louis Henry Sullivan coined the phrase in 1856. From our previous ebook, The Five Essentials to Opening a Coworking Space, we placed great emphasis on making sure that you can envision the flow of the workspace. First off, you’ll need to understand how much private space and open space you’ll need. The next step is understanding how your members move around so that they don’t feel overcrowded or isolated. The key is density, and the best workspaces in the world know how to meet the demands for private space while still creating a space that feels open and always engaged. The size of the space does not determine how open an “open area” may feel. It’s your creativity that makes the difference.
Inspiring Creativity for Members
It doesn’t always have to be about you. Allowing your members to step up and make it more of a space of their own is one of the best things you can do to inspire collaboration and creativity. Go beyond just hanging a painting, allow your members to bring out the best in their artistic side. Allow portions of your workspace to pay tribute to its members so that it has a living and breathing identity within the walls.
Some spaces even provide an office playroom, a designated space for getting up, making art, and putting in some movement. You’ll find that these spaces can also double as a spot for brainstorm meetings. The best operators embrace this concept and allow the workspace playroom to bleed out beautiful artworks throughout other parts of the facility. It makes the workspace a one-of-a-kind experience when members feel that creativity comes first. By encouraging your employees to decorate their workstations you can prevent creative ruts and maintain productivity.
New Opportunities
An independent operator has the freedom to give the space its own identity. They can make theirs catered specifically to a physical location as well as their local market. This creates the opportunity to connect with the artists in your neighborhood, giving them the opportunity to turn the workspace into a canvas of their own. By collaborating with local artists and design experts, you can get something unique to your space. Even better if that artist is known by name throughout the area as this allows a co-marketing opportunity that will attract more eyes to your space.
It’s important to provide the perfect balance to meet the demands for both those who prefer the hustle and bustle of a busy office, collaborative spaces for brainstorming sessions, as well as a quiet private office for members who wish to focus. The importance is following through with the four principles of maximizing flow, inspiring creativity, optimizing your technology, and creating new opportunities with local artists and designers. For more information on how WUN can transform your workspace towards one of the best spaces in terms of design and technology, please click the button below.