10 coworking spaces where design works
Linden Palais, Berlin
Need a sofa to meet a colleague or a desk to work on your laptop? Try this selection of places conceived with design at the core
After the Covid boom, where they opened all over the world (and then closed), coworking spaces have become real communities for professionals, with daily, monthly or annual subscriptions and where entire teams can find each other to work, especially in the case of “full remote” startups. The goal is always to encourage interaction in common areas while trying to reduce that sense of isolation and loneliness that is created even when the space is shared. Even a café are excellent spaces for working remotely, but the ones on this list are created with the specific purpose of facilitating work through excellent connections, comfort with impeccable furnishings, meeting rooms but also gyms, pools, terraces and gardens with which to soothe, even if very superficially, the alienation of living a life in front of a screen. Here is a selection of coworking spaces where design takes center stage.
Second Home, Hollywood
Second Home, Hollywood
Opened in the midst of the pandemic, Second Home is the transformation of a parking lot into a Garden of Eden where one can work surrounded by greenery. The project, signed by SelgasCano, is very striking in its simplicity: transparent organic pavilions housing offices from which one appreciates a deep perspective with the gaze spanning the entire length of the lot. Between one pavilion and the next, relaxation areas surrounded by tropical vegetation.
Where: 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles
Boitsfort, Brussels
Boitsfort, Brussels
A modernist icon designed by Constantin Brodzki in 1967 using 756 prefabricated oval facade panels, it has been repurposed as a co-working space by Belgian firm Going East, commissioned by Fosbury & Sons. It consists of 7,000 square meters of space spread over seven of the building’s nine floors. In addition to common areas, the “Giorgio” bar with panoramic views of the Soignes Forest, there are 15 meeting rooms and an auditorium. The interiors are recognizable by the rich textures on the walls and the choice of iconic furniture such as S 64 chairs by Thonet.
Where: Chaussée de la Hulpe 185, 1170 Watermael-Boitsfort, Brussels
WeWork Wihai Lu, Shanghai
WeWork Wihai Lu, Shanghai
Once an opium factory and later an artists’ residence, this colonial building is now one of WeWork's Shanghai offices. Renovated by the design firm Linehouse – founded by Alex Mok and Briar Hickling and with offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong and New Zealand – it preserves the original brick facades and large windows, giving the feeling of being on an “unexpected journey between whimsy, voyeurism and celebration,” as stated by the designers. The focal point of the project is the large covered atrium reminiscent of a tropical oriental lounge.
Where: 696 Weihai Road Jing'an District Shangha
Big and Tiny, Santa Monica
Big and Tiny, Santa Monica
A place where adults can work together with little ones. The coworking space designed by Madrid-based Zooco Estudio features bespoke and scenographic interiors accompanied by furnishings that bear the signature of Scandinavian brands with their soft lines and ergonomic comfort. The use of neutral colors and natural materials, such as light wood and painted metal, helps create a space that encourages concentration and creativity, also suitable for the playful activities of children.
Where: 1444 10th st - Santa Monica, CA
