Let's start with a bit of history.
The first coworking space appeared in 2005 in San Francisco, initiated by Brad Neuberg. This was also when the first mention of the word "coworking" in relation to shared offices emerged. It was called San Francisco Coworking Space and was open only two days a week: Mondays and Tuesdays. In the first month, it was completely empty because no one had heard of Brad's concept.
Therefore, the term "coworking" defines a shared space that can be used on a subscription basis by anyone looking for an office. It is a space where you can work together and collaborate.
Trends
Let's take a few steps back in time to see how the expansion of coworking spaces looks today. According to statistical data from Emergent Research, in 2020 there were over 26,000 such spaces worldwide.
The number of coworking spaces is also growing in Romania. Laurentiu reviewed some of them in 2018, here. Facilities
Most office spaces come with a range of facilities that can be accessed by members. This means that, in addition to the actual desk where you can work every day, they offer access to a whole set of complementary services designed to make your work easier. Whether it's meeting rooms that you can use for offline or online meetings, stable and fast Wi-Fi, unlimited coffee, or a relaxation area (bean bags, sofas), coworking spaces are meant to make your life easier and, why not, more enjoyable. You have all these services included in the subscription and you get rid of all the hassle that comes with managing your own office.
The capacity and layout of coworking spaces come in various forms: from open-plan spaces to spaces with separate rooms of different sizes to accommodate individual co-workers or small and medium-sized teams.
Events are also an important component when it comes to coworking, as one of the "co-" comes from community. These types of spaces are a great hub for local professional communities and for facilitating networking. Events are the meeting point for those passionate or interested in a multitude of topics, whether they are meetings for tech people (programmers), freelancers, or entrepreneurs. Most of the time, these events are informal and are aimed at all levels of professional experience, so anyone can participate and can generate new collaborations, professional relationships, or even friendships.
Who is it for?
Coworking spaces are generally aimed at people working in the digital field.
What does this mean? Practically, anyone who needs just a laptop, a good internet connection, and... good coffee (or tea, without discrimination) to carry out their work, can work from a coworking space. Examples include professionals in software development, design, marketing, and even accounting or law. Usually, these people are freelancers, remote workers, or entrepreneurs with small companies and teams. But the coworker profile is not limited to just them. Even corporate employees can occasionally be found in such spaces when traveling on business or when they want a few days of work in a creative environment, away from traditional offices.
There are, of course, niche coworking spaces in certain fields. This niching refers to the type of people you will meet in that space, as well as the facilities it offers. Thus, the offer may include spaces dedicated to creatives (makerspace, with workshops and all kinds of tools), spaces for social projects, spaces for those in the tech field, and even spaces dedicated to chefs.
Why work from a coworking space?
There is much to be said here, so we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of working from a coworking space in more detail in a future article. But the simplest way to figure out if such a place is good for you is to come and test it out directly.
Cowork Timișoara - Tineretului (19 Arieș Street) is an open space with a relaxation area and high desks, access to the meeting room, and a kitchenette. It has a capacity of 20 desks.
Cowork Timișoara - The Garden (5 Virgil Mădgearu Street) is a centrally located space in a historic building, arranged on two floors + courtyard. It offers compartmentalization with offices for up to 8 members per room, event and meeting rooms, and outdoor relaxation areas. It has a capacity of up to 40 desks.
Both spaces have stable internet connection (cable, 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi), access to the local community of entrepreneurs, and ☕️ aplenty :-)
