The coworking sector is thriving, and your space will need a comprehensive strategy to succeed. To make sure your design it stands out from the competition, you must offer your clients a dynamic facility that accommodates different types of professionals, whilst identifying your brand.
Space utilisation
Utilising the space strategically and efficiently is key in providing state-of-the-art working accommodation. The majority of your revenue is generated from desk rental, so it is important to achieve maximum density in the workspace whilst avoiding overcrowding
In London, a standard office has a ratio of about 8 square metres per employee. Most successful coworking spaces will aim to minimise this to about 5 square metres per worker; however, buildings are not always designed to offer this kind of flexibility.
In the past, coworking has been centred on nurturing the growth of start-ups, but in the last few years it has evolved to provide a flexible workspace for larger companies. Cellular spaces are growing to accommodate more desks and open plan space and breakout spaces are proportionally increasing in size. As agile working is growing in popularity, coworking facilities now feature communal spaces where individuals can rent a single desk in shared touchdown areas. This efficient use of space means that companies of varying sizes can be accommodated, with smaller companies sharing the communal spaces.
Presently, the minimum office space that rentable offices look to accommodate is 4–6 people; a rise from 2–4 people in previous years. For these smaller offices, it is worth considering whether you will be able to offer them expansion. In order to facilitate growth, you may need to knock down walls so it is important to choose a building methodology that will allow for this.
Accessibility
As well as optimising your space, your facilities may require alterations to help increase accessibility. The ratio of people per square metre is relevant to fire strategies and the escape routes designed to accommodate that number. You may need to consider increasing the width of corridors, including extra staircases or changing the way the building is evacuated, to allow you to make more efficient space allocations and increase densities. Larger facilities use a staged evacuation system which empties the building floor by floor using a speaker rather than a siren/bell.
All coworking space requires disabled access to all areas. You will have to provide greater facilities than that of a private office, as your space is catering to many different people. Therefore, it is essential to plan for additional access modes to cater for everyone.
Look and feel
How is your office going to provide value to your clients? The most successful coworking spaces have a unique feature or element that makes them stand out from the crowd and defines their personality.
Your company’s brand and personality should be reflected in your space. This could be through the use of a palette of materials that you own as your brand identity or a unique architectural element that you feature in all of your facilities. For instance, Apple install unique staircase which is the ‘quirk’ that distinguishes their office from the rest.
Unique selling point
WeWork facilities offer an enhanced community as their niche, with social events, organised networking, summer camps and links between different members in the space. LABS coworking hubs are armed with advanced technology and offer clients the opportunity to connect with professional web developers. Oktra’s recent coworking project, Ministry of Sound, offers exclusive membership with the opportunity to network with like-minded industry professionals.
We can help you find the perfect, new building and set you on the right path to cater for the masses. To ensure you have the best design to accommodate a range of business professionals, you need to have a thorough space and strategy plan.
Find out how we transform buildings into successful coworking spaces.
