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32 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / December 2020 ELEMENTS Shared Workspace Shared Workspaces: Blend Experience with Enchantment A rriving in 2005, the coworking model of shared workspaces is still perceived by most as a rented desk in a sea of solopreneurs and startups, but today it’s somuchmore than the cliché of “free coffee and beer on tap.” After a decade overwhelmingly defined by a minimalist aesthetic with cool colors and millennial members, new coworking spac- es are taking a bold, maximalist approach to the everyday featuring thoughtful design in- spired by local influences and curated ameni- ties tailored to individual locations. Infusing the workday with greater flexibili- ty, enjoyment and multifunctional spaces, this transformation within the shared workspace toward saturated, experience-based design has resonated with a new population and more genera- tions of workers. It also has helped new coworking spaces capitalize on demand created by the pandemic, as corporate offices extend remote work policies with more than 1.87 billion professionals forecasted to seek coworking spaces by 2022 (IWG, 2020 Coworking Re- port). While copy-paste footprints and catalogue-order fur- niturecanprovideaconsistentoffering, theexperience can be underwhelming and forgettable. A foundation- al element powering the coworking transformation is the feeling that a place can be inspired by its history, but not anchored down by it. Looking toward the boutique hotel as inspiration for the workspace, we see services and amenities are con- cierge-focused, “guest-first,” need- or demand-based, and flexible to allowfor transition fromday to evening (work to event) in themost efficient footprint. Thismix of hospitality, data-driven thinking is also effective in coworking spaces whose tenants likely have chosen a space with a shorter commute and amenities that can provide not only support for the business, but the social amenity missing in the home office. As the pandemic paved the way for workers to favor subur- ban, mountain and even rural locations for their Zoom calls in a grandurban exodus frommajormetropolitan destinations, we see the sharedworkspace as a link be- tween the value of proximity and professionalism. With the hospitality-focused mentality, shared workspace developers and designers are creating val- ue through rich, inviting, experienced-based environ- ments that embody that hotel lobby energy. Weaving in principles of biophilic design and wellness initia- tives also help this new category of coworking spaces elevate above their competition, making the appeal to leave the corporate or home office that muchmore en- ticing. Unlike the uncertainty in real estate trends facing traditional office space, coworking square footage is on tracktoincreasemorethan71%by2025 (Coworker, 2019 Special Coworking Insights). The most successful spac- es will be tailored tomembers, taking into account the longevity it will serve them. Newly remote or flexible office professionals are seeking a space designed with theminmind. We’ve seen some of thismember-centric transformation alreadywith spaces dedicated towom- en and some even specific to pet owners. Coworkers themselves arematuring, often incompa- ny management positions and able to work remotely as an integral team member, or leaving a Fortune 500 company to launch a consulting career – likely while also raising families and taking on additional roles in their local community. Different shared workspace brands and models appeal to different demographics and shifts in corporate culturementality. “We’re seeing a number of memberships from du- al-income households who find juggling their child’s remote learning within the workday nearly impossi- ble, as well as from businesses that want flexibility for their employees,” said Grant Barnhill, founder/CEO of ShiftWorkspaces. “Our members want to work hard, they want to con- tribute to their communities, and they want to have fun doing it.” WeworkedwithBarnhill onhismost recent cowork- ing project, Shift Littleton, 20minutes outside of down- town Denver, amidst the agricultural lineage that still peppers historicmain street. We paid homage to this lineage through a thought- Kristen Tonsager, NCIDQ Head of Interior Design, Clutch Design Studio JC Buck Shift Littleton: The boutique hotel can inspire the workplace.

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