"the returns on well designed spaces is MULTIPLIED by a great community. "
Well, I think the reverse can work as well: the returns of a good community can be multiplied by a well-designed space. Just sayin' :-) *JEROME CHANG* *WEST: Santa Monica* 1450 2nd Street (@Broadway) | Santa Monica CA 90401 ph: (310) 526-2255 *CENTRAL: Mid-Wilshire* 5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) | Los Angeles CA 90036 ph: (323) 330-9505 *EAST: Downtown* 529 S. Broadway, Suite 4000 (@Pershing Square) | Los Angeles CA 90013 ph: (213) 550-2235 [image: <yelp-s.png>] <http://www.yelp.com/biz/blankspaces-los-angeles>[image: <twitter-bird3-square.png>] <https://twitter.com/BLANKSPACES>[image: <facebook-logo-square.png>] <https://www.facebook.com/pages/BLANKSPACES/132257631339> <https://www.facebook.com/pages/BLANKSPACES/132257631339>[image: <linkedin-logo-square2.png>] <http://www.linkedin.com/company/blankspaces?trk=top_nav_home>[image: <vimeo-s.png>] <http://vimeo.com/blankspaces> On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 10:23 AM, Alex Hillman <[email protected] > wrote: > You can get away with imperfections in the space when the community vibe > is good. It’s much, much harder to get away with cultural dysfunction (or > nonexistence) when the space is good. > > It’s not debate of if space OR community is valuable or important. Both > are important. > > What’s important is that the returns in *absence* of each other are > unbalanced. > > Here’s what I’ve observed across LOTS of different > styles/kinds/scales/breeds of coworking, including “dedicated" coworking > spaces like what many of us run, but also including some of the bigger > patterns in how/where people work in other kinds of businesses & > corporations. > > Perfectly designed, beautiful, ergonomic, and inspiring spaces *without *an > attractive culture are the ones that find themselves weak for new > membership, weak to retain their members, and very, very difficult to > sustain without constantly applying pressure. > > I’ve seen the lack of community lead to the burnout and closure of a LOT > of beautiful coworking spaces that people seem to be “impressed" by. > Meanwhile, the returns on well designed spaces is MULTIPLIED by a great > community. > > Take this out of the context of coworking for a second to see what I mean: > companies are spending FORTUNES to create beautifully designed spaces to > inspire their employees to create, collaborate, and be more productive…and > they expect to get a return on those investments. If a company spends > hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars on an office, they expect that > it can generate some multiple of that more in recruitment, retention, > collaboration, and innovation. > > What I’ve learned along the way is that most of these companies design the > space intentionally, but don’t do anything to design the *culture* of the > company with the same intent. When the culture and the space design aren’t > congruent, those hopeful returns are very hard to realize… > > When those companies put even a *fraction* of the effort and intention > into designing the culture of the community as they do the space, the > results are tremendous. > > COMBINE those two efforts, and the results are unparalleled :) > > -Alex > > > > > > > > On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 9:29 AM, Erynn Lyster <[email protected] > > wrote: > >> I know I'm jumping into this discussion late, but just getting to my >> overflowing in box! >> >> I just wanted to respond to the discussion that popped up about the >> physical "space" itself not being a huge factor when people think about >> "what makes a good coworking space". I don't speak French, unfortunately, >> Nicolas, so I can't read what you wrote on the subject, but here at The >> Commons one of the first things people say that they enjoy about our space >> is the actual, physical space. >> >> We put a lot of effort into making the space feel comfortable, >> sophisticated and inviting and this has paid off tremendously. I would say >> that, yes, people choose to work here because they like the vibe and the >> community but I would argue that one of the factors contributing to the >> vibe and community is the physical space. It encourages people to talk, >> lounge and be comfortable. >> >> One of the big things that factor into them choosing us above other >> coworking spaces in town is that they are proud to bring their clients >> here, that it is comfortable to work in and it really does feel like a home >> away from home. Our members take great pride in our space - we can tell as >> they bring their clients on a tour when they come in and talk a lot about >> the design. >> >> I was a member here before I became an owner and I knew when I took over >> that that was one of the biggest criteria for me - to work in an inspiring, >> well-designed space. This is something I feel quite passionately about, in >> fact, and was a huge debate when my brother and I took over the space as he >> just wanted to put in the least expensive, most utilitarian furniture >> possible and said no one would care. >> >> It may be just sibling rivalry, but I do like the fact that he had to >> admit a year later that I was right and he was wrong ... ;-) >> >> ~Erynn >> >> On 2014-09-14, 11:45 AM, Nicolas Bergé wrote: >> >> I recently asked the members of Les Satellites "What makes a good >> coworking space ?". I received different answers, none of them put the >> "space" as a criteria. >>> >>> I've realized that members are the best to define what coworking is >> and what coworking is not, even though they only know a few coworking >> spaces, if not only one. I wrote something here ( >> http://www.les-satellites.com/2014/09/les-personnes-qui-font-du-coworking-ne.html) >> explaining why members of coworking spaces are not interested by the space >> criteria (in French). >> If you can include, Ramon, the members' - your members' - viewpoints on >> the definition of coworking you wish to show, you'll be better off - we'll >> all be better off. >> >> Nicolas Bergé >> Les Satellites >> -- >> Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Coworking" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> >> >> >> -- >> -- >> Erynn Lyster >> The Commons Calgary >> a cowork apothecary >> www.thecommonscalgary.com(403) 399-1716 (cell) or (403) 452-7938 (office) >> >> -- >> Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Coworking" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
