Not An MBA

Along the way in our journey into coworking, we have encountered some really cool spaces. Almost without exception the spaces we’ve visited have been inspiring places to work: Indy Hall, Citizen Space, Nutopia, Hat Factory, Sandbox Suites, and PariSoMa, among others. Though each space is different in its own way, they are all open, have mixed-use spaces, and are explicitly designed for collaboration.

This is the point, really. Some (if not most) offices, are simply not designed for collaboration. They are designed for head down rule following. Unless people can easily lift their heads up and interact with neighbors, spin around and show things to one another, ask questions and learn, etc., then what you get is head down rule following.

Berkeley Coworking

One particular stop this week, at Berkeley Coworking, makes the point beautifully. One of Berkeley Coworking’s founders, Jonathan Zamick, previously worked with the architect/innovation agent M.G. Taylor, and Berkeley Coworking speaks with architectural possibility. That the space is simple and not prefigured is part of the intrigue. The space has numerous space altering pieces–movable partitions and rooms, whiteboards of myriad types, and easily constructable tables that can be used and broken down. Many of these workplace/innovation pieces were made by one of Taylor’s partner firms, Athenaeum. The bottom floor of Berkeley Coworking is just waiting to be used for brainstorming and innovation. The space speaks to it. Upstairs the anchor tenants work at somewhat traditional desks, though these are even laid out in a way that easily leads to conversation and connection while working.

Space at Lanchpad Coworking in Austin

At the soon-to-open Lauchpad Coworking in Austin, space is a high priority. They have hired ’structural poet’ Murray Legge of LZT Architects to create a vision of a space that is very intentionally designed for maximum collaboration and creativity. Check out some of Murray’s models and drawings here. While many of the cool spaces we have visited and are writing about are re-purposed spaces that are neat because they are old, edgy, and have history, Launchpad is one of the (if not the) first built-out coworking spaces that is starting with design thinking and collaboration as part of its blueprint. Why is this exciting?

The proof is in the pudding. For example, look at the award winning innovation agency Jump Associates, whose office space invites and nourishes an innovative culture. Likewise with the creative innovation firm Gravity Tank in Chicago, whose open, loft-like office space looks like a massive coworking space in action. Jump and Gravity each work with blue chip and Fortune 500 companies, and their work spaces are part of the value add that they deliver to their clients. Creative, purposeful spaces engender purposeful and creative work. Dull spaces built by dull white men usually result in dull work done till 5:00 or perhaps 5:01, but that’s it. For people to give their best energy they need to want to be in the space they are in. Look into the eyes of a 300 pound tiger walking back and forth in a tiny zoo cage and you can see it. Anti-cageism is a trans-species instinct!!!

I recently came across another firm that really gets it: Space. Space markets itself as workplace architects and designers focused on strategy. I like that a lot. Space and Strategy. Or, space as strategy. In this respect, it seems that the many groovy coworking spaces that are coming online worldwide are important for a number of reasons. Yes, they are providing a much needed community for those of us who do much of our work solo on a project basis. But also, they are defining a new approach to building and refitting workspaces that actively encourage and stimulate collaboration and innovation. If these are things that BigCo really wants, which they repeatedly say they do, then coworking spaces become a model for a new way of thinking about space. That is, space matters.

The Butcher