Co-working spaces
design of public spaces
to design and curate a system/environment which can convert a given public space into a collaborative, co-working space for the users to submerge into a productive work period.
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this is a research & concept based project that requires me to explore into the sector of 'Design of co-working space' and venture on the possibilities of this being incorporated in public spaces.
research
& analysis
What?
Co-working is a self-directed, collaborative, flexible and voluntary work style that is based on mutual trust and sharing of common core values between its participants. Co-working involves a shared workplace, often an office, and independent activity. Unlike in a typical office, those co-working are not employed by the same organisation.
Users
Freelance professionals
Remote workkers
Small to medium
enterprises (SME)
Entrepreneurs
Why?
Coworking spaces are not suffocating unlike some of the traditional workplaces because here one can get the right mindset, emotional support and a possibility to collaborate with the like-minded people without compromising the comfort that can be found at home.
More flexibility
Community
Amenities
Access
Flexible cost
Flexible space
Flexible plan
Shared economy
Internet, furniture,
casual expenses
To key players to help your business grow
Evolution of office spaces
Sharing economy
The sharing economy, also known as collaborative consumption or peer-to-peer-based sharing, is a concept that highlights the ability - and perhaps the preference - of individuals to rent or borrow goods rather than buy and own them. It includes “sharing, bartering, lending, trading, renting, gifting, and swapping redefined through technology and peer communities.”
How did millenials start the co-working trend?
Choosing SMEs & startups vs corporate
Embraced shared
economy
Networking &
Mentoring
Productivity over
anything
Types of co-working spaces
Specialised coworking space - Renting out corporate space and infrastructure to similar fields of occupants.
Conventional coworking space - Targets startups, freelancers, SMEs. They organise events at their workspace.
Fancy coworking space - Has quality crowd, who believe in work hard - play harder. They have fancy furniture, lighting, game hubs, good food, etc.
Corporate coworking space - They have huge rooms with long lines of desks. They believe in all work, no play.
Open coworking space - Host people from different fields, businesses instead of same ones. Desking systems.
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Indulging in working on your laptop in Public Spaces has become a new trend. Cafes and Pubs like #SOCIALS, Starbucks, etc. encourage this trend by allowing customers to come and make use of their spaces to carry out a productive work period. This happens because people don’t want to work from home anymore. Since coffee and wifi conectivity are the two biggest criterias for a work period, and coffee shops provide both along eith buzzing offers on their brewed coffee for the co-workers. Since this particular crowd doesn’t want to rent out a table in a Co-Working space, they end up stationing themselves in Cafe Coffee Day, etc.
Working in transit spaces
Working when on the move is a famous activity a big number of people take part in. Working in trains, buses, cars, at airports is very common. However, unlike cafes and pubs, these spaces don’t offer much for you to do this without any hurdle. Public transit spaces don’t come with a lot of space built in for a particular crowd to engage into their work, or even send out a few emails when you’re on the run. Creating a system/module that eases the hurdles faced by people working in these spaces, and encouraging them to do so, was looked into for further development.
Task flow map
People at the airport
Possibilities of interactions
concept
generation
finalising concepts
& parameters
Comfort
The environment/structure should not have edges extruded outwards, but also shouldn’t have too many rounded edges. Smooth edges would be perfect to balance out the comfort and the surrounding space (airport), to make sure that the users use it for what it is intended to be.
Use / purpose of space
1. Isolation to work
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2. Slight possibility to interact
(a) interactions related to work
(b) interactions related to mutual likes/dislikes
(c) general, brief conversations
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3. To match the needs and likes of premium users, a separate/segregated space.
Playing with landscapes
The final concept is made up of sets of modules, which span over a linear length and stretch out with a mix of properties, attractions and purposes. These module blocks are made for having multiple functions take place in one set. The heights of these modules change according to the purpose it is serving and creates an interesting landscape accross the airport departure space. These units will act as center pieces, and attraction points for the passengers.
Span of the user occupying the space
Target audience group
Crowd waiting for their flights, over-lap time, and potential users who need designated space to indulge into a work period with isolation.
Seating and table space
1. Smooth edges, not too soft or curved
2. Should cause slight discomfort after long hours
3. Colourful to stand-out, premium
4. Comfortable, attractive and premium materials 5. Dividers (if needed), translucent/semi-translucent
6. A platform is necessary
7. Pockets of seating
Types of seating
(a) Seating for working (with platform)
(b) Seating for reading a book / casual
(c) Seating for interactions / converging
(d) Seating for singles / pairs / 3’s / NOT 4
Requirements for combinations
The module can have multiple combinations, but these combinations will include atleast TWO out of the THREE requirements :
concept one
concept two
