This was the inspiration for my senior project research topic. It’s a fun video about what coworking is and why you should try it!
Community, Collaboration, Creativity
To “cowork” is to be part of a working community, collaborate with others, and work creatively. It is a global movement aimed to create workspaces that allow for this and move beyond traditional work environments. A coworking space will be occupied by people and businesses of all kinds that are in need of a semi-temporary workspace. This type of facility is designed to share resources, create a sense of community, and to reduce operating costs of the office.
There are varying types of coworking facilities around the world and some function differently than others. Memberships differ across the board – whether it’s measured hourly, daily, monthly, or something completely different. This creates a very diverse group of members because some people may be using this space while they are visiting the city or because they are tired of their home office. One of my favorite coworking facilities is called WeWork. They have locations all over the world and continue to open more.
The concept of coworking is such a great one for our quickly changing workforce. We are part of a flexible and mobile generation and it only makes sense to have our environments evolve with that in mind. However, there are current workplace issues that may prevent this notion from reaching its full potential. Some of those issues involve the generational gaps and how differently they operate in the workplace. It is true that coworking isn’t for every profession, but that isn’t to say that it can’t be for everyone to experience a new and non-traditional workspace. In order for this to be possible, generational issues must be identified and addressed. In my research, I hope to find solutions suitable for these issues so that a coworking environment can be beneficial for everyone.
Another issue in the workplace in relation to environmental psychology. In other words, the ways in which the built environment affects our working habits, health, and productivity. I plan to identify the most common issues and find ways to improve the built environment with innovative design.
I have an exciting opportunity next week to visit one of WeWork’s brand new locations in London, England. I plan to spend a day working from their facility to get a feel for the environment and talk to others and receive their feedback. Stay tuned!
To cowork or not to cowork…
What is coworking? What does it mean to successfully work in a coworking environment? Is it possible to work in this sort of environment while still accommodating multiple generations of workers? What about improving the mental and physical health of the workers too? These are just a few of the questions I am aiming to answer for my senior project. At the end of my research, I hope to propose a design for a coworking environment that solves a lot of issues offices have today. This includes issues related to environmental psychology, generational issues, collaboration efforts, ergonomics, biophilia, sustainability, and marketing. I will be posting the progression of my research as well as interesting articles or videos I find along the way.
coworkingdesign.wordpress.com 