“A system is a set of things—people, cells, molecules or whatever—interconnected in such a way that they produce their own pattern of behavior over time.” – Donella H. Meadows

Mindsets are beliefs that shape how we make sense of and see the world. They influence how we think and feel about certain things, and in that, ourselves. More importantly, mindsets influence our actions, both in what we bring to the world and how we treat other people.

Identify a raison d'être

In taking on the responsibility of providing a space for people to work, one needs a profound raison d'être, something that is much more than meeting basic requirements such as a table and a roof over your head.

Try to identify a reason for gathering people and dare to be specific about it. These days, a coworking space needs to be a continuation of public space, recognising the value of human interaction to inspire change, development and growth in businesses and society.

Therefore, identifying an inherent motivation is essential.¹ This becomes a guiding star, allowing you to better understand your role in the scheme of things. A deep local connection and know-how, as well as a position in the business community, affords the privilege of trust. Ingrained in your organisational identity should be a pioneering spirit enforced by a meticulously cultivated credibility. From a business point of view, this is the stuff dreams are made of, especially when approaching the people you want on board a project.

Bringing together an exhilarating mix of people under one roof, centred around the mission of; here you get what you can’t get elsewhere because together we can achieve what we can’t on our own. A community can be made up of vastly different people, but a shared spirit is essential.

The perspective should be one of collaboration. Weave a key belief into the very fabric of the coworking space: that of the importance of unexpected meetings. Believe in convergence, of people and of ideas. As we know, unexpected encounters lead to innovation and convergence. Following this logic, our mission is to facilitate as many agenda-free meetings as possible, with the potential of innovative repercussions beyond our imagination.

As the workplace and its significance morphs and shifts, a strong belief is that these spaces of convergence will become increasingly important in the foreseeable future.

Residents, not customers

The emphasis on truly getting to know the community stems from a profound belief in being part of it rather than standing on the outside looking in. This belief is one you should take into the most mundane aspects of your operation, as well as the most interesting.

Language is a strong ally in eliminating the distance between yourself and your dwellers. One way of doing this is by questioning the language² we use in a commercial setting. What if we replace the traditional term customer or tenant with the more inclusive resident? By using language consciously, one can avoid seeing the purpose of the space as merely ground for commercial transactions, elevating it to something more meaningful. This tool conjures a sense of inclusion and connectivity—being welcome and at ease.

Setting and pursuing a clear-cut task helps attract relevant and invested residents. Part of our work is bringing a sense of immediacy to the table every day, attracting new people and energies. While recognising the fluctuating and cyclical nature of our methods, spaces and tools help you plan with constant transformation in mind. It allows us to better prepare for the inevitable—that residents will come and go. To achieve convergence across the community, it can be helpful to keep balance in mind. Taking a democratic approach, all should be welcome and considered valuable contributors to the whole—big and small businesses, fields and mindsets.

Attracting creative minds from various disciplines is rarely a bad thing, as these are often community-driven individuals who value innovation processes and have experience with co-creation. If a type of resident is missing in the equation, something you notice by being present in the community, it is helpful to know that you can find them.

One way of doing this is by identifying and inviting them to join the party as residents. Another is by taking a different approach all together: an open door policy. By keeping the doors open to external parties passing through, one can consciously encourage people to dwell, socialise and work in the space, free of charge. This allows a new and potentially untapped segment to try on the experience and familiarise themselves with the possibilities available to the community.

Common areas such as the foyer, library, lounge or the adjacent café should feel attractive, open and welcoming to non-residents. Here, one should stress the value of hospitality in the form of food and drink. A bar, café or restaurant is a natural place to meet. In other words, their value for the community is immense. Connecting to the outside world: An outsider should come for the coffee or lunch and discover that, as if by magic, someone has built a coworking space around it.

Design as participation

In the planning of a space, invite future residents to co-create their workplace. This is design as participation. One objective is to consider their needs. Another is to augment the residents’ emotional investment by demonstrating that they are heard and offer a valuable perspective, in this way forging a meaningful bond. Not only does this foster an initial sense of care in the resident, it inspires continued care for the maintenance of their common project and space.

Take into consideration the physical framework you are starting with, and the greater whole it is part of. Make an effort to understand the neighbourhood and the people who are based there.

What does the demographic composition of the area look like? Is it a diverse neighbourhood or mostly homogenous? How is the flow of foot traffic and access to public transport? What is the culture like in the area? How and where does it manifest itself in the everyday? Which needs does the area meet and neglect? Which services are unavailable?

Take a broad point of view to understand the big picture. Narrow down what is relevant to keep in mind when building a coworking space. Should you cater to the neighborhood or disrupt the current order of things? What do you have to offer? What can you do to encourage convergence between the residents and the local community? How can you welcome your neighbours to contribute to and partake in the daily life at the building? Keep these answers and your research in mind when composing the space. A well-considered coworking space enables more engagement, unexpected meetings and synergies both within and outside the resident community.

Build the community together

By reinforcing the idea that people are residents rather than clients, one emphasises a shared accountability for the community's wellbeing and development of its members. Being a resident of a country or society comes with rights, but also responsibilities.

The coworking space is a community we shape and share together. One should aspire to nurture this sense of belonging and participation. As we invite conversation and feedback, as we listen and respond, we enforce the idea that a community is built on collaboration. Recognising the residents as crucial to the existence of the place fosters an emotional investment in them.³ and ultimately, it is an act of care. Presence is also inherent and you should strive to put this at the forefront of your business. Maintaining a strong and visible presence in the space is central, being available and welcoming to one’s residents and guests.

Care inspires care. Being part of a hospitable environment tends to bring out the best in the people. As the residents cultivate the workplace together over time, the extension of care becomes a robust instrument of coherence and kindness in the community.

The square as a hub for convergence

The square is a phenomenon we refer to as the beating heart of a community. It attracts residents and ignites convergence. When designing a coworking space, the square should be a top priority. Think of it this way: any society needs a square with an infrastructural role, a place all roads lead to, a crossroads of sorts. The same goes for a coworking space.

Keep in mind that the square is not a marketplace. There are already so few places we can meet indoors without buying anything. It should not be motivated by the exchange of commercial products or services, but instead by what the residents can do, individually and together. Its purpose is that of interpersonal and cross-organisational exchange; of ideas and knowledge.

Extending the metaphor, a successful square is never empty. It serves no function without people. Similarly, your square needs to constantly attract people. One way of achieving optimal function is to make the space welcoming, neat and open to all. This means both residents and outsiders should feel welcome to use the space. Another is to ‘stir the pot’. Attracting people to the square through curation and events reinforces the impression that the square is a place to experience.

A front desk rather than a reception

Identifying your intrinsic motivation is essential and so is finding the right people to carry out your mission—to live by your values alongside you. Finding the right caretakers for the task facilitates the maintenance of cadence and energy, one that people come and stay for.

Putting these key players at the front of the business allows you to see people in their day-to-day life. Being in touch with residents consistently also enables you to personally guide and directly respond to feedback and requests. The caretakers are the faces of the business. Place these at the heart of the building and set a purposefully low threshold of contact to emphasise their approachability and presence. This should make connecting with residents easy and intuitive and, in turn, make the residents feel seen.

A front desk rather than a reception is one of many ways to manifest this belief physically. Create a rotating roster among staff, top to bottom so all staff members can spend time there. This means everyone stays up-to-date with essential information and keeps in regular face-to-face contact with the residents.

This non-hierarchical approach reinforces a notion of entity, one community united by a common purpose. Ask the residents what they want and implement what is possible. Simply asking can have an immense effect on trust within the community. Being a consequent leader ensures a bon marriage.

An omnipresence also facilitates the constant harvesting of information that allows you to continually improve your service and, at the same time, break the barriers that surely arise when hundreds of people work under one roof. You can directly inquire about what they want to see more or less of, considering their personal experience. Embracing a service mindset is valuable as it enhances the sense of hospitality, thereby bolstering the service experience.

Organise an everlasting party

An inevitable reality of your work is that keeping up a dynamic and vibrant coworking space requires presence. Omnipresence. One becomes the constant stirrer of pots, listening, observing, making sure that things happen. In so many ways, it is your main objective.

Insight is not only valuable ad hoc but also aids foresight. As many residents only spend part of their workday or week at the coworking space, one can program happenings and events that lure them into the office even when they don’t have to be. As an organisation, you gain credibility and identity as progressive leaders of the everlasting party⁴ that is a coworking space. The everlasting party is the goal itself. Presence and foresight help you keep the party going. Take the resident’s perspective, asking: in order to see myself here, who and what needs to be present? Delivering dynamic and forward-thinking curation with an element of surprise allows you to earn people’s trust as they follow your lead and leap into new ideas and knowledge. Make sure that things happen, but do not stir when it happens. Emphasise connection and exchange between residents, remaining in the periphery rather than putting yourself at the centre of events. A good guest knows when to leave.

Exercise fingerspitzengefühl

The physical framework of a coworking space is one of its main assets, obviously. Putting together a successful space is a question of both design and mindset. A workplace should be functional yet beautiful. An inspired leader considers aesthetic and tactile aspects of spatial design seriously. A detail-oriented point of view helps one assemble a space that exceeds the basic, yet superficial need for a desk and four walls. Exercising fingerspitzengefühl should result in a continually arresting and relevant coworking space, attractive to both existing and prospective residents.

This fingerspitzengefühl is not necessarily one you possess yourself. It is rarely the case that an organisation has the full scope of understanding of architecture, construction and design required to create compelling spaces in-house. Consult the experts. Bringing on board architects and designers adds richness to the spatial framework, which is, after all, the physical manifestation of an ideology, a method, and of course, the playground where day-to-day activity takes place.

Prioritise flexibility, but not without constants

A coworking space is in constant transformation. Design for and welcome it. We subscribe to the viewpoints of American writer and thinker Stewart Brand, who proposed the pace layer model as a way of understanding that different parts or layers of a place or civilization change at different paces. Heavily influenced by architect Frank Duffy and his concept of a building’s shearing layers, Brand describes a spectre of layers ranging from fastest to slowest changing: Fashion, Commerce, Infrastructure, Governance, Culture, Nature. Rather than a fact-based framework, it is a way of holistically approaching the complexity of one’s organisation.

Another point Brand argues in his book How Buildings Learn: What happens after they’re built, is the importance of taking an evolutionary approach. This means constructing an architectural framework that the inhabitants can customise and develop according to their needs—stretching the life and relevance of a building significantly. Deepening an understanding of the transformative nature of coworking spaces allows you to better plan for time.

Yes, designing for change reinforces a sense of belonging and ownership in the residents, yet abandoning the value of coherence and reliability all together would be foolish. Keep some constants; a recurrent visual element, a piece of furniture specific to each space, a colour that tells you where you are. These provide a comforting sense of quality and reliability—knowing, even if vaguely, that some things remain.

Keep flexibility at the heart of things. People’s needs vary vastly—embrace it by facilitating levels of flexibility. One way of doing this is by creating options. In a spatial context, you can do this by sectioning the workplace according to the levels of presence and investment.

Use the threshold as a mean of variation

Most of all, design for all kinds of atmospheres and situations, considering the many positive side effects of a change of environment, one of them being an increase in the occurrence of unexpected meetings. While the space must accommodate some needs on an individual level, you cannot stress the importance of communal space enough. Create compelling crossroads where residents meet, either by passing through or dwelling.

Offer a variety of contract options, short-term non-commital to long-term, to indicate a different emotional investment in the space. Some are there for the daily banter associated with an open office, others come to enjoy shared spaces and the convergence associated with them. The main shared space, be it a foyer, lounge or restaurant, is what we have called the square, an important extension of the exterior. It facilitates participation across levels of commitment and emotional investment, either as a resident or external passer-by.

A range of investments and thresholds adds complexity to the service experience. Build for low threshold and openness, supporting a goal of increased convergence that stimulates innovation and sharing of information. However, these low thresholds should have several steps or levels of privacy. The space should both be able to stimulate interaction and facilitate retreat. Consider the holy trinity of privacy as a three-step ladder: private—shared—co-created. Having the choice of participation is important.

Increase the chance of serendipity

Let’s return to the subject of unexpected meetings. A coworking space would be wise to keep them at the forefront of their daily agenda, as they are fundamentally linked to the potential for convergence. The square and other social objects are stages for these serendipitous encounters, but they are not self-sustaining. One must continually draw people from their private spheres to the common arena by providing incentives to meet and share.⁵

The word serendipity is befitting to describe these meetings as they need to be without an agenda. Creative minds are familiar with the innovative potential of convergence across backgrounds, belonging and disciplines—if anything, this knocking of heads drives them. Perhaps that is why creatives are so disproportionately likely to seek out coworking spaces.

There is an exhilaration in the daily occurrence of these no-agenda meetings, reaping benefits by simply being in the same place. Serendipity alludes to a fortunate happenstance, but in our situation it is not necessarily a random one. There is a dualism to the work of stimulating serendipity; it needs to be agenda-free yet happen at a high frequency.

So-called "water-cooler conversations" are of the essence in all aspects of convergence, and in the maintaining of community and the feeling of belonging to a larger entity. There is a difference between asking to be included and simply being included. This is one of the many reasons social objects have a critical function —they naturally facilitate inclusion, acting as social anchors open and available to all residents. We gravitate towards them.

Be a mindful new kid in town

As the question of branching out or scalability comes up, one should become increasingly aware of the unique qualities and shortcomings of a place. Avoid the mistake of making copies of yourself or others, as each new space comes with an entirely new set of prerequisites and possibilities. Coworking spaces should have a deep knowledge and understanding of local culture and history, constantly addressed and reinforced, day-to-day.

Every new prospect requires this heightened state of understanding, a concern for what is local—the place and of course, the people. This show of interest and eagerness to grasp can lead to not only credibility and trust, but also the ability to make a better fit for the residents, who are always at the centre of what we do. A coworking space is a living organism that never stands still, an ever-changing format fashioned in collaboration between the host and the current residents, who will inevitably keep changing. We are the music producers working on a song with a band. When it is done, another band moves into the studio with a completely different sound. Embracing the capricious quality of our work means we can better help our residents to thrive.