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    Co-working members’ club The Malin opens wood-filled Nashville location

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    The Malin has designed its work-oriented member’s club in Nashville, its first outside of New York City, with an earthy colour palette and a mix of vintage and contemporary furniture to give it a hotel-like feel.

    Located in the Wedgewood Houston neighbourhood, The Malin is one of a number of creative businesses within the Nashville Warehouse Co, which claims to be the city’s “first large-scale mass-timber building”.
    The mass-timber structure of the Nashville Warehouse Co building is visible throughout The Malin’s interiorsThe building’s timber structure is highly visible throughout the interiors, and the pine ceilings and deep beams add to the warm, earthy palette of the various work areas.
    Designed by The Malin’s in-house team, the club encompasses 16,000 square feet of space that encompasses 48 dedicated desks, seven private offices, five meeting rooms and two libraries.
    Wood varieties including light oak and dark walnut are used throughout the member’s clubAll of these rooms feature rich colours and an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary furniture, intended to feel more like a hotel than a co-working space.

    “We’re in the hospitality business, so we carefully tailor each location of The Malin to fit the needs of the neighbourhood and professional community,” said The Malin founder and CEO Ciaran McGuigan. “Not only are we providing the highest level of hospitality, but we’re doing it in a refined and beautiful space that contributes to a productive workflow.”
    The club offers both dedicated workspaces and casual areas for members to meet and relaxThe design team decorated The Malin Wedgewood Houston with deep-toned Benjamin Moore paints, Schumacher wallpapers and glazed zellige tiles, while bespoke millwork is executed in dark walnut and white oak.
    A variety of formal and casual seating areas are available for members to utilise as desired, either for individual or group work, or entertaining guests.
    Sofas, communal tables and banquettes are all available for use as desiredLarge communal tables accompanied by cushioned tubular metal chairs, sofas and armchairs with brightly coloured velvet upholstery, and cafe tables beside leather banquettes are among the options available.
    Surfaces of limestone, travertine and multiple varieties of marble – including Giallo Siena, Irish Green, Onice Brecia and Aresbecator Oribico – complement the wood tones and colourful furniture.
    Private meeting rooms are similarly designed to look more like a hotel than an officeMembers also have access to an acre of outdoor community park space for hosting events, and receive discounts and perks at several neighbourhood hotspots.
    “The Malin is committed to providing an environment equipped with personalised services and high-touch amenities,” said the team. “In catering to a tight knit community with a finite number of members, The Malin is able to provide tailored lifestyle management services while offering both the comforts of a home and the resources of an office.”

    The Malin is designed as a vibrant but homely New York co-working space

    The Malin’s first location in Manhattan’s Soho, which opened in 2022, was longlisted in the small workspace interiors category of Dezeen Awards 2022.
    The company has since added spots in Williamsburg and the West Village to its portfolio, making The Malin Wedgewood Houston its fourth.
    The colour scheme throughout the club is warm and earthy, aided by richly toned upholstery and deep paint huesLong-known for its thriving music scene, Nashville is now quickly growing as a destination for other creative industries.
    Recent openings in the city include an outpost of members’ club Soho House – just down the street from The Malin – and a multi-venue dining and drinking destination designed by AvroKO and owned by Sam Fox and Justin Timberlake.
    The photography is by Sean Robertson.

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      NeueHouse opens third members' club in Los Angeles

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      Workspace brand NeueHouse has opened a work and social space in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, which is revealed in this video created for the brand by Dezeen.

      The club is the third community and co-working space that the brand has opened in Los Angeles, California, with other locations in Hollywood and in Downtown’s historic Bradbury Building.

      Workspace brand @NeueHouse has opened a work and social space in Venice Beach, Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/IzJQMvbV0g
      — Dezeen (@dezeen) January 31, 2023

      NeueHouse Venice Beach is located at 73 Market Street, in an area of Los Angeles known for its arts scene in the 70s and 80s.
      The interiors of the club were designed by Canadian studio DesignAgency, who were strongly informed by southern California’s history as a centre of modernism.
      The agency chose to use light, organic materials to reflect the Californian climate. Spaces are designed to be open-plan, in order to foster a feeling of informality and comfort.
      Spaces were designed to reflect the oceanfront locationThe building includes private and public workspaces, as well as a podcast recording studio, wellness room and social spaces.
      As with Neuehouse’s other venues, the club will host a regular cultural programme including exhibitions, screenings and events.
      The clubhouse is home to a collection of artwork curated by Caroline Brennan of design studio Silent Volume and Pamela Auchincloss of curatorial agency Eleven+. The collection combines the work of established artists with emerging talent from southern California.
      The clubhouse contains co-working spaces and creative production facilitiesThe Venice Beach club also houses Reunion, the first in-house restaurant and bar in a Neuehouse location. The restaurant is situated on a private rooftop space with indoor and outdoor seating.

      NeueHouse opens Los Angeles co-working space inside landmarked Bradbury Building

      “Our latest House is a response to a historic demand from the local Venice creative community,” said chief marketing officer Jon Goss.
      “We want to reimagine and pay homage to the block’s historic past, while offering a warm, design-first experience”.
      You can apply for membership at NeueHouse Venice Beach at its website.
      Last year, Dezeen and NeueHouse teamed up to host a series of events, including a panel discussion on Afrofuturism in art and design and a live talk on the metaverse featuring Liam Young, Refik Anadol and Space Popular.
      Partnership content
      This article was written as part of a partnership with NeueHouse. Find out more about our partnership content here.

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      Functional Creative Design refreshes NeueHouse co-working space in New York

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      Functional Creative Design founder Sarah A Abdallah has revamped the interiors of members’ club NeueHouse in Manhattan, turning the front of the space into a restaurant that can easily become a stage for events.

      The New York-based designer and consultant returned to refresh NeueHouse, having first worked on the project with Rockwell Group in 2014.
      A circular bar serves NeueHouse members throughout the dayA member of the creative co-working space herself, Abdallah used her knowledge of the place and extensive experience in hospitality design to renovate the interior as it approached its 10-year mark.
      Conversations about the project began pre-pandemic, and the restrictions enacted as a result ended up guiding portions of the design.
      Various seating options are offered to the side of the Spanish stepsMajor changes to the space included converting the front area into a restaurant, which is used for dining, informal meetings and as a workspace during the day.

      At night, this spot becomes a stage for speakers or performers, who form part of a robust events program.
      A new cafe and retail space features walnut millwork”Space planning for this particular area was very key to insuring people felt safe, also I had to be sure we were compliant with NYC regulations that were changing weekly,” Abdallah told Dezeen.
      With this need for flexibility in mind, the designers installed lightweight banquettes from Danish brand Menu that can be unclipped and easily moved by staff.
      Furniture like marble-topped tables is easily moveable so that the space can be transformed for eventsThese are accompanied by two-top tables with violet-hued marble surfaces, where members can “grab a tea and laptop and have their own morning ritual”.
      The restaurant faces a set of Spanish steps, which form areas for casual work and act as an amphitheatre of seats during events.
      The bathrooms are designed as elevated spaces for hand-washing ritualsThese were updated with new metal details, walnut veneer, custom pillows and tables for laptops or drinks.
      “We added small round tables by Bernhardt Design at the bottom steps and cluster stools by Suite NY so this could also be an extension of the restaurant as well,” said Abdallah. “Two people could sit together for a drink and small plates.”
      Floor-to-ceiling marble was added to bathroom areasTo the left is further seating that serves as a cafe during the day and a wine bar at night, including a custom banquette built into the side of the steps.
      The circular bar, designed as a freestanding sculptural element, is faced in leather padding and topped with a green marble counter.
      Two matching high-top tables in front allow members to gather and circulate as they wish, while a variety of seating options are available beyond.

      NeueHouse opens Los Angeles co-working space inside landmarked Bradbury Building

      Behind the Spanish steps is a new cafe and retail area, organized around a walnut island.
      In the bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling marble was added in the stalls and behind the urinals, and wood panelling also creates an elevated residential-like environment.
      “Hand washing became an essential ritual to our health during the pandemic and so we wanted to also elevate the bathrooms to allow members to take more time to look in the mirror, be in gratitude and also take in the design details,” Abdallah said.
      Abdallah used her experience in hospitality design to give all spaces a welcoming feelThe designer previously worked on projects including the Park Hyatt in Washington DC, the Intercontinental Hotels in Cairo and Geneva, and 15 Hudson Yards in NYC before founding Functional Creative Design.
      NeueHouse also operates three locations in Los Angeles, including one inside the landmarked Bradbury Building, while a fifth has been announced for Miami.
      Dezeen hosted a series of talks with the company in 2022, including a conversation about the metaverse and another focused on Afrofuturism.
      The photography is by Ball & Albanese.

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      “No one wants a sea of desks anymore” says WeWork's global head of design

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      WeWork is designing a more grown-up form of co-working, says global head of design Ebbie Wisecarver, as the brand reacts to the pandemic and puts greater focus on large enterprise clients.

      Wisecarver told Dezeen that the workspace provider, which has 756 locations in 38 countries, is moving away from the traditional co-working model in response to the changing demands of its clients.
      “A lot of our older spaces had a sea of desks and no one wants that anymore,” she said.
      Ebbie Wisecarver is global head of design for WeWorkWeWork’s current workplace model is more centred around flexibility and collaboration, with a wide variety of meeting spaces, more lounge-style seating and different types of lighting.
      “In some of our larger offices we might have had 10 per cent soft seating or collaboration-type furniture, and now it’s moving upward of 50 per cent,” Wisecarver explained.

      “The reality is, as we’re moving forward, everyone’s grabbing at the solution for the post-pandemic workstyle. What we’re trying to do is offer space that can transform based on different needs.”
      An alternative to corporate headquarters
      This change of approach has been partly fuelled by Covid-19, which has ushered in a new working culture that involves more remote working and virtual meetings.
      However it also reflects the changing business model of WeWork, which launched as a start-up in 2010 and enjoyed a decade of major investment and rapid expansion before suffering near-collapse after a failed IPO bid in 2019.
      WeWork’s new London properties at St Helen’s Place (pictured) and 10 York Road (main image) offer various spaces for collaborationIn the early years, WeWork’s primary focus was on providing desk space for small-scale entrepreneurs. More recently, it has shifted towards serving larger businesses and organisations.
      In 2019, large enterprises (LEs) represented approximately 40 per cent of WeWork’s clients, but today it’s closer to 50 per cent and likely to continue growing.
      WeWork offers these companies an attractive package; instead of having to maintain a corporate headquarters, they can rent a state-of-the-art space in a prime location, then equip their staff with All Access membership passes that give them access to any other WeWork around the world.
      WeWork’s has significantly increased the volume of soft seating at its properties. Pictured here is 6001 Cass Ave in DetroitWisecarver names British electronics retailer Currys – which recently moved its headquarters to the WeWork at 10 York Road, next to London Waterloo station – as an example.
      “They have a central hub where everyone can get together and collaborate, but they can also go and meet up in different satellite offices,” she said.
      “I think that’s definitely what companies are gravitating towards.”
      A new design approach
      In designs terms, this has led WeWork to adopt a more neutral and grown-up aesthetic, departing from the playful and youthful style that defined its workspaces in the past.
      “While a co-working member might like the liveliness, enterprise members often want a different feel. They might something more formal, or spaces that can be more easily branded,” said Wisecarver.
      WeWork has developed a catalogue of design palettes to offer its large enterprise clients. Pictured here is Friedrichstraße 76 in BerlinA trained architect, Wisecarver previously worked at Steven Holl Architects and Diller Scofidio + Renfro before joining WeWork in 2015. She was appointed global head of design in 2019.
      Under her steer, WeWork has developed a catalogue of design palettes that it can offer to LE clients – with names like New York Loft and By The Sea – to help them create spaces that feel appropriate for their brand.

      Co-working venture Patch offers “an exciting alternative to your kitchen table” says Paloma Strelitz

      It has also created a template called Collaboration Hub, which is geared towards companies whose staff primarily work from home and only need to come into the office for teamwork activities.
      “As we go through the pandemic, it has been a question of how our spaces can continue to be a destination,” she said. “How can our members feel like they’re coming in with purpose, and that they have a level of flexibility?”
      Read on for the full interview:
      Amy Frearson: What is WeWork’s design strategy?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: WeWork has always been about creating a homey, comfortable environment. That can mean many things, but what we want to create is a high performance space. We want good acoustics and quality space, we want the materials to be soft and inviting, with plants and art, and we want to create a wow factor.
      Amy Frearson: How to you achieve that?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: You don’t only create comfort through the materials, but also through different types of space. We try to capitalise on flexibility. We know that some people want to be able to work in one space but be able to hop into a phone booth to have a private conversation. And they might not want to be there all the time. People need to know that there are various space types for them to work in and that the choice is on them. It’s a new way of working for a lot of people and I have certainly seen that in China and Japan, where the work culture is quite different.
      Staircases are often designed as social spaces, like at Plaza Real Cariari in San JoséAmy Frearson: Do you have a formula that you apply to every location or do you create bespoke designs for every space?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: We have a very clear set of standards for our office spaces, meeting rooms and even phone rooms. A lot of it is around lighting, power, data; we need to make sure the spaces function. We’re able to be more bespoke in our common areas, and draw from the building and neighbourhood. We want a member to walk into a space and understand it’s a WeWork, but not feel that it’s a replica of another WeWork.
      Amy Frearson: What is your process for ensuring you don’t simply replicate what you’ve done elsewhere?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: We make sure we do our due diligence when we walk into new buildings. If it’s an older building that has character, we make sure we draw from that. It’s also about adding in unique spaces that we don’t have anywhere else. And while our meeting rooms are very much the same, they might have a different look and feel.
      Amy Frearson: Do you apply the same approach to the furniture you select?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: We have standardised sizes with furniture, to make sure they function well. So we do repeat a lot of our meeting room tables, desks and chairs. We want to make sure the tables have integrated power and that we have certain types of chairs and sofas. Where we try to have more fun is with the accessories, the textiles and the feature elements. Like in Japan we designed a kotatsu that is very unique to that country and it’s fun, but I don’t think it would fit anywhere else. It’s about letting that local flavour come through special elements.
      An in-house lighting team ensure lighting levels are appropriate for workingAmy Frearson: How does this design approach compare with the early days of WeWork, before the pandemic and before the failed IPO in 2019?
      Ebbie Wisecarver Early on, WeWork was very much focused on small-scale entrepreneurs wanting desks and the spaces were really designed around that. The early concepts from Miguel and Adam were using a lot of glass, having transparency so that you would run into people and be able to spark up conversations. But the original WeWorks didn’t have the amenities, so from a design perspective some of the older spaces were a bit moody. We also tried some things that didn’t necessarily work out; there was a phase when there was a lot of layering and materials, and some of that stuff hasn’t really held up.
      In and around the IPO, we started thinking more about how our design decisions can be driven by data. We wanted to ensure that spaces were sufficient, and that the new spaces we were designing and building were actually what members needed. Being able to pull data from a specific neighbourhood or market meant we could build the right product instead of just guessing.
      From an aesthetic standpoint, this led to our spaces becoming much lighter and brighter. Our original locations probably didn’t have the appropriate lighting for an office. Now we have an in-house lighting team who really focus on elevating and layering the light, which wasn’t a big part of our design in the beginning. We make sure spaces feel light and fresh, with that more Scandinavian feel.
      Now we’ve moved on from the IPO, our growth has become less focused on co-working and more about serving large enterprise clients, who want something very different. While a co-working member might like the liveliness, enterprise members often want a different feel. They might something more formal, or spaces that can be more easily branded. We’ve done a lot of these single-member full floors.
      All Access members can work in any WeWork worldwide. Pictured here is Salesforce Tower in San FranciscoAmy Frearson: So a lot of the design shifts have been fuelled by this shift towards more larger enterprise clients?
      Ebbie Wisecarver Yes, it was almost like we were having to meet the needs of a new member type, which became an interesting challenge. They wanted to design spaces in their own way but they needed some guidance and strategy. We actually developed a series of palettes – we have By The Sea, Modern Executive, New York Loft, and so on – so that when they came to us, we actually could give them options to design their space in a way that made them feel like it was theirs.
      Amy Frearson: How has the pandemic influenced this approach?
      Ebbie Wisecarver As we go through the pandemic, it has been a question of how our spaces can continue to be a destination. How can our members feel like they’re coming in with purpose, and that they have a level of flexibility?
      A lot of our older spaces had a sea of desks and no one wants that anymore. No one is coming back to sit in a giant room with a bunch of desks. That has been one of the biggest shifts. In some of our larger offices we might have had 10 per cent soft seating or collaboration-type furniture, and now it’s moving upward of 50 per cent. We have some great examples of members that have taken regular office space and we have transformed it into this thing that we’re calling the collaboration hub. The reality is, as we’re moving forward, everyone’s grabbing at the solution for the post-pandemic workstyle. What we’re trying to do is offer space that can transform based on different needs.
      We’ve also introduced All Access membership, which means we’re bringing members into other locations. They might be only coming in for two hours, so we have to think about that from a design perspective. How are we improving our wayfinding? Are we providing them appropriate areas with power and comfortable seating?
      WeWork has 756 locations in 38 countries. Pictured here is 4 Rue Jules Lefebvre in ParisAmy Frearson: What other design shifts have you made since the pandemic?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: There was a period of time where everyone was saying, ‘no one’s going back to the office’. So our first priority was really making our spaces safe. That didn’t just mean sanitiser and fresh air, but also looking at our HR systems and ensuring that we had protocols and rules.
      What we also started to see, when our sales team would go out and meet clients, was that it would no longer just be their head of real estate or their CFO. All of a sudden their head of HR or head of talent was joining them. It became less about efficiency and packing people in, and more about providing space, amenities and strategy. That’s where we started to see our advantage. We have such a big footprint but also the flexibility at a portfolio level. We’re able to look at commute time and potentially set up offices in a way that that is more convenient for their people.
      We started strategising with a lot of different companies about why people come in to the office. It didn’t have to be about head-down work – that could be done at home, or at a local WeWork. But you do need to come in for training and mentoring, and for team events. A lot of ideas came out of that, in terms of flexible space. Could prefab rooms become an option? Can we leverage different furniture types? That helped us think about how we could repurpose some of our offices to be these kind of touchdowns for companies, then pair them with All Access or On Demand memberships to give staff the flexibility they need. We want people to come in with purpose and meaning, and to feel energised.
      Amy Frearson: Since the pandemic, it seems that more co-working spaces are being created in residential areas than before. Has your strategy for choosing locations shifted at all?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: It hasn’t really changed. We have thought about the suburban market as a possibility but we still see our strength as being in core cities, in busy locations that are accessible by train.
      What’s interesting about having large global enterprise clients is that they often help us make these decisions. We had an enterprise client get in touch to ask if we had a space in Lisbon, which we didn’t, so we’re now working with them to open a space there. In the past we were growing at such an aggressive pace that, in a lot of ways, it was just numbers. Now, as we get back into growth, we’re being a little bit more organic and allowing our members to drive that.
      WeWork’s ambition is to be as convenient to its members as possible. Pictured here is Wynwood Garage in MiamiAmy Frearson: Can you give any other examples of enterprise clients that have informed your strategy?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: A great example is Currys. They left their headquarters in Acton and took a whole floor in 10 York Road, then equipped their whole corporate workforce with All Access passes, which give them access to any WeWork in the world. They have a central hub where everyone can get together and collaborate, but they can also go and meet up in different satellite offices. I think that’s definitely what companies are gravitating towards.
      Amy Frearson: What’s next for WeWork? What are you ambitions for the future?
      Ebbie Wisecarver: Growth is in our future and part of our strategy for growth is through acquisition. We recently acquired Common Desk, which is a small co-working company that originated in Texas. Common Desk is an amazing company that has beautiful spaces and has built a following that is uniquely theirs. We’re not trying to take over, we want them to still be Common Desk. Our objective is simply to be as in as many places and as convenient to our members as possible.
      The photography is courtesy of WeWork.

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      Emil Eve Architects retrofits own office in brutalist building in Hackney

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      London studio Emil Eve has retrofitted its Hackney office to include a striking green-painted floor and modular birch plywood furniture designed to be “reconfigured or adapted as the needs of the users change”.

      The architecture firm created the studio space, which it shares with design practices OEB Architects and Material Works, in an existing brutalist building with an exposed concrete structure in Hackney, east London.
      The studio was renovated so that no alterations were made to the buildingCalled Regent Studios, the office was carefully designed so that no changes had to be made to the fabric of the building, according to Emil Eve.
      Instead, the firm created a “family” of modular, CNC-cut birch plywood furniture that fits into the space without having to be fixed to the existing structure.
      A vivid green-painted floor defines the space”The furniture is freestanding so that it can be reconfigured or adapted as the needs of the users change,” Emil Eve co-founder Emma Perkin told Dezeen.

      As well as linoleum-lined desks and small shelving units, this group of furniture includes a standout floor-to-ceiling “sample library” where the architects display and interact with a range of material samples.
      Emil Eve created a floor-to-ceiling “material library”Shallow upper display shelves are combined with deeper, lower storage compartments to create a unit that takes cues from the design of kitchen cabinets.
      “We knew we wanted the material library to be the main focus of the space, with everything visible to hand,” said Perkin, who designed the system to replace “inefficient” stacked boxes.
      Desktops are lined with linoleumThe architect also explained why the firm used the CNC process to create the furniture, which was fabricated by Natural Buildings Systems.
      “The process enables complex shapes to be cut from sheet materials,” she said. “Here, we used slits cut into the shelves to create an interlocking design that creates a hierarchy between framing, horizontal and vertical elements, which brings a rhythm to the whole.”

      Urselmann Interior renovates own office using recycled and biodegradable materials

      Emil Eve chose bold green paint for the flooring, which was used for its cost-effectiveness and ability to transform the mood of a space, according to the firm.
      This colour was also decided upon to complement the windowsill herbs and various potted plants scattered around the studio, as well as to contrast with a cluster of bright yellow chairs positioned around a communal work table.
      Yellow chairs contrast with the green floorAs a small design agency, Emil Eve explained the benefits of sharing a co-working space with other design companies in the interest of sharing collective resources – a decision the architects called “economical as well as sustainable”.
      “It’s always more fun to make things rather than buying furniture off the shelf if you can!” added Perkin.
      Visitors are invited to touch the materials on displayEmil Eve Architects was founded in 2009 by Emma and Ross Perkin. The firm has completed a number of architecture projects, including many in London.
      Recent projects range from a monochromatic pale pink loft extension and a timber-framed residential extension filled with light.
      The photography is by Mariell Lind Hansen.

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      Patch opens first “work-near-home” venue in former Essex brewery

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      Workspace brand Patch has converted the former Gray & Sons Brewery in Chelmsford, Essex, into a co-working space that aims to offer its members a positive work-life balance.

      Patch’s creative director, architect Paloma Strelitz, has overseen a renovation that turns the Victorian building into both a workspace and a cultural venue.
      As the brand’s first location, it is the prototype for its “work-near-home” concept, which offers people workspaces close to where they live, so they don’t have to work from home or commute.
      Patch Chelmsford is designed to celebrate the history of the building. Photo is by Philipp Ebeling”I think there has been a big shift in what people want from work and life through Covid, with people reevaluating their career paths and deciding that now is the time to set up on their own,” said Strelitz in an interview with Dezeen.
      “We’re saying to people, we are an exciting alternative to your kitchen table.”

      Co-working venture Patch offers “an exciting alternative to your kitchen table” says Paloma Strelitz

      Patch Chelmsford is designed to celebrate the history of the building, but to also feel welcoming.
      Structural elements – including timber ceiling beams, brick walls and steel columns – are left exposed, but paired with vibrant colours and graphics, plus plenty of plants.
      Ali Hanson designed Patch’s visual identityStrelitz enlisted designer Ali Hanson to develop a graphic identity that references the original Gray & Sons. This extends into the interior in the form of hand-painted signage, posters and vinyl graphics.
      “Our approach to the building is to celebrate its history as a thriving local brewery and its new purpose – as a centre for local enterprise and community activity,” she said.
      The reception is set up as a public library and learning space. Photo is by Philipp EbelingThe ground floor of Patch Chelmsford incorporates a suite of spaces that are accessible to the public, to support local businesses and culture.
      The reception is a generous, lounge-type space designed to function as a public library. A curated collection of books is displayed on a pair green-topped plywood trestle tables, encouraging visitors to stop and take a look.
      Patch Academy is a flexible events spaceNext door is Patch Academy, a flexible events studio that can be used for a range of different activities by both Patch members and the local community.
      A glazed facade is intended to encourage public interest in this space. Other features include durable blue flooring, a translucent curtain, a projection screen and lightweight furniture, to offer flexibility of use.
      Patch Market is a cafe and bar, that doubles as a talks venue. Photo is by Philipp EbelingAlso on the ground floor is Patch Market, a cafe and bar, that doubles as a venue for informal talks and events.
      The space features banquet seating and a bar lined with chevron-patterned tiles.
      These elements draw on Strelitz’s previous experience of creating successful cultural venues; prior to joining Patch, she was a co-founder of Turner Prize-winning architecture collective Assemble.
      “We think of Patch as a local cultural venue – from a teenager attending a coding workshop at Patch Academy to a public talk in Patch Market and to the person launching a business from Open Studio,” said Strelitz.
      Workspaces occupy the first and second floors. Photo is by Georgia RandupWorkspaces are located on the first and second floors, including communal lounges, hot-desking studios, dedicated desks and private offices.
      Members also have access to a library where plywood desks are framed by plants and a member’s lounge overlooking the yard, which provides a venue for lunches, meetings and networking.
      A members lounge offers a venue for meetings and networking. Photo is by Philipp Ebeling“At Patch, we’re home to a community of freelancers, businesses, and local organisations,” explained Patch’s founder and CEO, Freddie Fforde.
      “We’ve created a place to support their different working rhythms, from quiet corners for focused work, to lively areas for collective workshops and events.”
      The building was originally the Gray & Sons Brewery. Photo is by Philipp Ebeling”We believe that work near home supports a better work-life balance, combatting both the isolation of working from home and the time and expenses of commuting,” he continued.
      “That’s why we are creating high-quality work environments on local high streets, enabling people to have a productive and enjoyable workday, and to spend more time with friends, family, and in their community.
      Patch Chelmsford launched with a programme of events that included the Festival of Ideas, a series of locally focused events with titles including Crafting a Sense of Place and Reimagining The Future of Work.
      Other recently opened co-working spaces include architect Caro Lundin’s second branch of her affordable workspace ARC Club in south-east London and a monochrome co-working space for creatives in Brooklyn, New York.
      The photography is by Philipp Ebeling and Georgia Randup.

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      Co-working venture Patch offers “an exciting alternative to your kitchen table” says Paloma Strelitz

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      Co-working spaces that allow people to “work near home” can reinvigorate local towns and high streets, explains Paloma Strelitz of new workspace brand Patch in this interview.

      Previously a co-founder of Turner Prize-winning architecture collective Assemble, architect Strelitz is now creative director and head of product for Patch, which is creating co-working spaces in satellite towns rather than in city centre locations.
      Patch hopes to attract people who, since the pandemic, are re-evaluating their work-life balance and are less willing to commute.
      Paloma Strelitz is creative director and head of product for Patch. Photo is by Philipp Ebeling”I think there has been a big shift in what people want from work and life through Covid, with people reevaluating their career paths and deciding that now is the time to set up on their own,” said Strelitz.
      The architect, who is also a judge for Dezeen Awards 2022, believes these workspaces can boost the local economies of towns and neighbourhoods in the commuter belt.

      Reinvention of the high street
      “There are huge opportunities around the reinvention of the high street,” she told Dezeen.
      “We want people to be on their local high streets in the middle of the day, supporting local businesses instead of spending their money in places like Canary Wharf.”

      Colourful shingles front Assemble’s Yardhouse studios for east London creatives

      Strelitz sees working near home as a superior option to both commuting and working from home, as it offers the best of both worlds. It means keeping home and work lives separate, but retaining the flexibility of remote working.
      “We’re saying to people, we are an exciting alternative to your kitchen table,” Strelitz said.
      Improved work-life balance
      “Your kitchen table might be great once or twice a week, but there are huge positives of being part of a community like Patch,” she continued.
      “At a personal level, it contributes to a better balance between work and life, enabling people to achieve their professional goals and spend more time with friends, family and in their local community.”
      Patch’s first venue is in Chelmsford, a satellite town in Essex. Photo is by Philipp EbelingPatch was founded by entrepreneur Freddie Fforde and recently opened its first co-working space in Chelmsford, a commuter town located 30 miles northeast of London in Essex.
      Occupying a converted Victorian brewery, it is designed as a visible presence in the town centre.
      As well as workspaces, the venue includes publicly accessible facilities that include a library and learning space, an events space and a flexible cafe/bar. There’s also a kid’s zone to make life easier for members with children.
      “Public access is important; it’s important to draw people in and make anything that’s shared as visible and celebrated as possible,” said Strelitz.
      Work near home trend
      According to Strelitz, towns like Chelmsford are typically lacking in the provision of high-quality, co-working spaces and cultural venues in the town centre.
      “The idea of having quality workspace and an exciting professional community on your local high street is not as common as you might think,” she said.
      Patch is based on the concept of “work near home” rather than commuting. Photo is by Philipp EbelingThe aim is for Patch Chelmsford to become a prototype for the work-near-home concept. The brand plans to open more venues in other satellite towns in the near future.
      “We’re looking towards the idea of there being a Patch on every high street; our aim is to become the new anchor of the high street,” she said.
      Workspace central to placemaking
      The design draws on Strelitz’s experience with Assemble, which saw her and colleagues create cultural venues that aimed to positively impact local communities.
      Projects like temporary canal-side cinema Folly for a Flyover and shared garden Granby Winter Garden broke the mould of how architects can impact placemaking.
      A rolling events programme supports local culture and enterprise. Photo is by Philipp EbelingShe believes Patch can be equally disruptive, especially as it has a greater ability to scale up than Assemble’s projects.
      “My projects with Assemble were effectively all independent commissions, but what we’re doing with Patch is really learning as we go along and evolving in response.”
      Read on for an edited transcript of the interview:
      Amy Frearson: What is the concept behind Patch?
      Paloma Strelitz: Patch is a startup with a vision to create the new ‘work near home’ world. That means going to towns and areas outside of central London, particularly places with big residential communities, where people would traditionally commute into the city. We create really exciting spaces on the high street so that people can work closer to home.
      Amy Frearson: Can you explain your vision for work near home, and the benefits it can bring?
      Paloma Strelitz: Work near home is a vision for a sustainable work ecosystem that gives people access to space, resources and community close to where they live. At a personal level, it contributes to a better balance between work and life, enabling people to achieve their professional goals and spend more time with friends, family and in their local community. It also promotes investment in local economies, from accessible work opportunities to increased footfall for local businesses and high streets. We want people to be on their local high streets in the middle of the day, supporting local businesses instead of spending their money in places like Canary Wharf.
      Amy Frearson: Aside from the economic benefits, what opportunities can Work from Home bring to local high streets?
      Paloma Strelitz: There are huge opportunities around the reinvention of the high street. Our aim is to find really characterful buildings and turn them into exciting places to work locally. They can also become dynamic, attractive spaces for hosting local cultural events.
      In our first space, in Chelmsford, the ground floor is a family of public spaces that includes a reception/library, a flexible events space and a cafe/bar space for the Patch community. In many ways, this is the prototype for how we see Patch and the work near home world growing. We’re looking towards the idea of there being a Patch on every high street; our aim is to become the new anchor of the high street. We’re looking towards the empty Debenhams buildings and asking, what could work near home look like if it was occupying a former department store? Could it become a more complex ecosystem of uses?
      Patch Chelmsford occupies a former brewery in the town centre. Photo is by Philipp EbelingAmy Frearson: How and why did you get involved in Patch?
      Paloma Strelitz: I had a brilliant and rewarding experience as a co-founder of Assemble; we worked on some highly bespoke, very meaningful one-off projects. People then started saying things to me like, when is Assemble going to design an airport? I always thought, I’m never going to design an airport. But I was interested in this idea of scale, specifically how you scale impact and reach.
      I was then awarded a Loeb fellowship at Harvard, which gave me an amazing opportunity to be immersed in different disciplinary environments and perspectives. It got me thinking about what happens when different kinds of professional worlds come together and how they can learn from each other.
      Then I met Freddie Fforde, the founder and CEO of Patch. I read his manifesto and thought it sounded exciting. It felt like a really interesting way to build on the experience I had from Assemble, of creating impactful cultural venues, and bringing in learnings from the startup and tech worlds to create something meaningful and community-driven.
      Amy Frearson: What is different about Patch, compared with other co-working spaces outside of London?
      Paloma Strelitz: There are a few things to say here. Firstly I think it is important to remember that, while there are a lot of co-working environments in London, that isn’t reflective of the rest of the UK. There obviously are exceptions, in other big cities like Manchester, or places like Brighton, but mostly it’s not the same picture. You have old-fashioned examples like Regis, normally located right next to the train station with the idea that you’d be wanting to leave that place as soon as possible. What you get a lot more rarely is the idea of the workspace and local industry as central to placemaking. In the places we’ve been looking at, none had good examples. The idea of having quality workspace and an exciting professional community on your local high street is not as common as you might think.
      Secondly, you get some very exciting dynamics when people are drawn together by the communities that they live in, rather than a shared work purpose. There are huge opportunities for collaborative projects or purposes, which is already how we’re seeing Patch used. There is a high intensity of local groups looking to, for example, promote women in business in Chelmsford, or to build on the area’s cultural vision.
      I think there’s also a third point around public access to cultural venues, which again is common in central London but not elsewhere. Chelmsford is a good example of a place where there are very few high quality, exciting cultural venues where people can come together and meet. There’s a real demand for interesting spaces for people to gather.
      A cafe/bar provides a venue for talks and events. Photo is by Georgia RandupAmy Frearson: What does this kind of workspace look like? How do you create spaces that foster local communities and collaboration?
      Paloma Strelitz: Public access is important. Most workspace environments are still fairly private unless you’re a paid-for member. It’s important to draw people in and make anything that’s shared as visible and celebrated as possible. You also have to think about what it means for people to work close to home and what needs they might have. What are their reasons for not wanting to commute? That list is long, but one example is proximity to family. So one thing we’re really keen to do is to support people who have families to have a better work/life balance. In our space in Chelmsford we’ve set up a kid’s corner, as we want the workspace to be a place where parents can bring their children and where children also feel welcome.
      Amy Frearson: What kind of buildings do you want Patch to occupy?
      Paloma Strelitz: We are looking for buildings that have a sense of civic value. Our Chelmsford space is in a former Victorian brewery right in the centre of town. It was previously a restaurant that went out of business, but the story of the building’s identity was not being told in that use. For us there’s a certain joy in being able to retell that story by sourcing archival images and original beer labels, and then physically opening up that space.
      We want to create venues that are enticing and exciting, particularly for people who are less used to co-working. We’re saying to people, we are an exciting alternative to your kitchen table. Your kitchen table might be great once or twice a week, but professionally and socially there are huge positives of being part of a community like Patch.
      Amy Frearson: Could the Patch model have existed before Covid-19, or do you see it as a direct response to the pandemic shift towards working from home?
      Paloma Strelitz: I think we’ve been on a long journey to this point and Covid just accelerated trends we were already seeing. But there are a huge number of moving parts here. There would always have been ambitious local SMEs (small and mid-size enterprises) looking for spaces to operate in, but now there are also huge numbers of people who would have traditionally commuted five days a week. Anecdotally, I think there has been a big shift in what people want from work and life through Covid, with people reevaluating their career paths and deciding that now is the time to set up on their own.
      A flexible events space can be used for a range of activities. Photo is by Philipp EbelingAmy Frearson: Patch’s approach is in contrast with established co-working brands like WeWork, who since the pandemic are prioritising high-density, city-centre locations. Could your approach be a risky one?
      Paloma Strelitz: We have a pluralistic viewpoint, which is to say there isn’t going to be one singular way that people are going to work. I think the future is hybrid. I do see the case for big, central hubs located close to major stations, where people might converge once or twice a week. But I don’t think that it’s going to be five days a week anymore, so for those people who work for large, centralised companies, what does the rest of their time look like? I think we’re going to have a number of new solutions, a mosaic of different workspace offerings. But while companies like WeWork are less interested in the local, we see our interests really aligned with local councils and ideas around decentralisation. We’re trying to counteract the endless pull of London.
      Amy Frearson: Are you planning to repeat certain elements in each Patch, or do you want each one to feel tailor-made for its location?
      Paloma Strelitz: We’re still working out the formula. One thing that we’re really interested in is how Patch can become a launchpad for local enterprise and new ideas, and retail might be a component of that. One idea is that we work with local independent retailers. Another idea is that we find ways of giving visibility to exciting startups from London that are looking for an audience in a place like Chelmsford. For example, we’re partnering with a toy subscription company called Whirli on our kid’s corner. For us, this idea of local innovation is really critical.
      Amy Frearson: What are your ambitions for Patch going forward?
      Paloma Strelitz: Right now we’re looking towards our second and third sites, which are not yet confirmed. Each context is going to bring up new opportunities and questions. We think of Patch as a family, which is an interesting analogy because it speaks about things that share the same DNA but might have a radically different identity. What Patch looks like in Chelmsford might be very different to what it might look like in Margate or Guildford. We want to make sure that in each place we’re building a platform to celebrate and elevate what’s already there. It’s about creating spaces that are meaningfully shared but also distinctive.
      My projects with Assemble were effectively all independent commissions, but what we’re doing with Patch is really learning as we go along and evolving in response. It’s a very interesting and different dynamic, particularly if we go back to that earlier point about scale and what it means to do a bigger project. I don’t think it’s about a physically bigger project, I think it’s about a more meaningfully distributed project.

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      The New Work Project is a monochrome co-working space in Brooklyn

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      A shared workspace for creatives has opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with minimalist black and white interiors and gold-toned accents.

      The New Work Project is the brainchild of The New Design Project, a studio founded by Parsons graduates Fanny Abbes and James Davison.
      The stark colour scheme of The New Work Project becomes apparent upon entering the reception areaHaving worked in finance for a time, the duo returned to their design roots to set up the co-working space in a converted foundry building, and craft its interiors.
      They describe it as “a place for like-minded people to come together in an environment that is personal and intimate, and designed for collaboration”, adding that the space is “individually designed to inspire, stimulate, promote creativity and facilitate fluid working”.
      Members can choose from a variety of seating options in the open-plan spaceA largely monochrome theme is followed through the space — from walls and door frames to furniture to artworks — with light fixtures, flooring and decorative plants adding some colour.

      “Bold accents of black and gold are carried throughout the space with an overall modern approach to the design,” said the founders. “Clean lights are beautifully accentuated with track lighting against the white interiors.”
      Caned modernist chairs accompany a large meeting tableThe stark palette is evident immediately upon entering into a vestibule painted black on its three sides and ceiling.
      A reception desk has a pale marble top cut into an angular shape, and is lit by a thin linear fixture that runs up the wall and across the ceiling to form a 90-degree angle.
      Desks are arranged in U-shape configurations opposite a marble barBeyond is a lounge area, where four black-framed modernist chairs with caned backs and seats face a large upholstered ottoman.
      The dark central seating sits on a pale grey rug, as do a pair of styled coffee tables on either side.
      Private conference rooms can be booked for meetingsA larger meeting table surrounded by the same caned chairs is positioned in front of a series of private conference rooms, which are available for members to book for meetings.
      There’s also a trio of phone booth-style rooms from which individuals can take calls.
      Phone booths offer privacy for individual calls”The intimate ’boutique’ space creates a community environment while also creating a place for work and productivity,” the founders said.
      The remainder of the co-working space is open plan, with light wood flooring throughout and white on all of the walls except those painted black at each end.

      The Malin is designed as a vibrant but homely New York co-working space

      Tables are laid out in U-shape configurations, divided by black-tinted glass partitions where they face one another.
      Three-branched brass lights hang overhead, while lamps with globe-shaped bulbs are placed on each desk.
      Gold-toned accents are found throughout the spaceA marble bar, accompanied by a line of black stools, separates this work area from a kitchen for members to prepare and eat food.
      Some of the building’s original steel columns are left exposed, their rough surfaces contrasting with the white walls and marble counters.
      The monochrome scheme continues down to artworks and stylingNew York City has no shortage of co-working spaces. Many are similarly using design to entice members, like The Malin that recently opened in Soho.
      Our latest lookbook rounds up 10 shared workspaces around the world that offer a reprieve from the home office.

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      Caro Lundin launches understated co-working space ARC Club in south-east London

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      Architect Caro Lundin has opened the second branch of her affordable co-working chain ARC Club in London, which features a pared-back interior accented by colourful fixtures and furnishings.

      Set in the southeastern neighbourhood of Camberwell, the shared workspace was put together in just seven weeks and takes over a 223-square-metre commercial unit that previously sat empty for three years.
      The reception of ARC Club Camberwell doubles as a cafeThe latest ARC Club outpost follows in the footsteps of the company’s first location in Homerton, which opened a few months after the start of the pandemic.
      Much like its forebearer, it aims to provide a low-cost co-working space for hybrid workers, who don’t want to return to the office full-time but struggle to do their jobs effectively while working from home.
      Both spaces feature similarly simple interiors that prioritise functionality over frivolous decor.

      The collaborative work area features large group tablesLundin says this understated approach is key in a time when co-working is “a necessity and not a lifestyle accessory”.
      “Being Swedish, I’m very much in favour of the saying that good design and art should be available to everyone,” she explained. “Just because ARC Club is an affordable alternative doesn’t mean members should have to compromise on quality or design.”
      Furniture and artworks provide bursts of colourThe Camberwell co-working space is loosely divided into three different zones. Near the entrance, there’s a small cafe where members can drop in throughout the day to grab food and drinks.
      To the left is an area for collaborative work, complete with group desks and high counters that can accommodate two to three people and their laptops.
      The right side of the room is designated for more quiet, focused work. It features a plum-red seating banquette and a series of smaller tables for solo workers.

      ARC Club is a London co-working space for people wanting to escape working from home

      The different areas are separated by two boxy birch plywood volumes arranged into a rough T shape, with one containing meeting rooms and storage cupboards while the other houses six private booths where members can make video calls.
      The volume that sits towards the front of the plan delineates the cafe from the rest of the interior and is slightly shorter than the other in order to allow natural light to seep into the work areas at the rear.
      Otherwise, fixed partition walls and doors were omitted so that when office hours are over, ARC Club Camberwell is flexible enough to be used for other events.
      This area is dedicated to quiet workMost surfaces in the shared office are left raw or freshened up with a coat of white paint. But pops of colour are provided by the baby-pink booth doors and the orange-framed armchairs that are positioned around some of the tables.
      Vivid contemporary artworks loaned by local gallery Bosse & Baum help to liven up the walls.
      Baby-pink doors front the private phone boothsSeveral co-working spaces have opened in London in recent months to cater to locals who are opting to carry out their jobs remotely.
      Other examples include Paddington Works with its wellness-focused interiors and Bureau in Greenwich, which is designed to act as a “home for creatives”.
      The photography is by Andrew Meredith.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Caro Lundin of Studio Caro LundinContractor: Berry Interiors

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