While coworking has stepped up the level of office design globally, there is still much room for improvement. A panel talked about how to elevate the design elements in your space. The panel consisted of Vince Pan, Founder of Analogue Studio, Joyce Bromberg, Vice President of Strategy and Research at Convene, Lauren Whitney, Vice President at Corgan, James K. Donaghy, Executive Chairman of Structure Tone Organization, and Ross Guttler, Vice President of Delos.

More Than a Look

Spaces can be aesthetically pleasing but it needs to be backed by something of substance. Niche and culture are some important differentiators when it comes to the way your space should be designed. Your space needs to reflect a deeper meaning. The workplace experience needs to be rich and powerful.

Healthy Design

One panelist noticed that spaces are not optimizing health and wellness. An audience member that studied the human nervous system talked about how she took her knowledge and applied it to how a physical space actively nurtures the equilibrium of the nervous system. Members come in to the space looking for restoration but also have to stay resourced so that they do not wear out. She says to think about what materials, colors, and shapes encourage a nervous system to open up and replicate that in your space.

There is a lot that goes into how a space feels that people do not even see. For example, the air that people breathe. The increased amount of CO2 in a space depletes the way that your mind is able to function. We need to be building spaces with access to good air so that ideas and strategies can be formed and thought out.

Community

People care about people. They take jobs because they met someone that they connect to. A workplace can alleviate loneliness which is one of the biggest concerns for coworking. Coworking spaces are full of people that are there for a variety of reasons and their own personal pursuits. Therefore, your space has to work for different people. You do not necessarily need to curate to connect your members. The space’s job is to find a way to tie them together and get them to interact.