The rise of corporate communes
Corporate communes aren’t two words you’d think to see side by side, yet the changing face of work has meant many are moving to a shared office model.
The extraordinary growth of freelancing, contract work and mobile technology is transforming office design and function. There’s no singing kumbayah around the campfire, but the collective approach is providing benefits for all involved.
For landlords struggling to lease bigger commercial sites, staggering leases to multiple parties on a single floor can provide financial security and flexibility. Purpose built and well designed common areas decrease risk to landlords and offer the potential tenants added value.
Shared work environments provide opportunity for corporate design beyond a monoculture working pod aesthetic – but meeting the needs of multiple businesses requires vision and contemporary thinking.
Outline Design has embraced this challenge with the creation of 8 Leek Street. Housing three businesses, breakout rooms, meeting spaces and a social kitchen, Number 8 is beautifully tailored to expand and contract with the needs of the clients, providing a seamlessly functional and aesthetically pleasing space.
For a small business, the initial outlay of expense in office equipment and a professional front can be out of reach. Sharing these costs with other businesses makes financial sense and ultimately provides a higher quality and better appointed facility with lower core costings.
The right office flatmates can also be beneficial for all parties: selecting businesses that complement each other allows for potential shared services and collaboration, enabling the formation of supportive corporate communities, the nurturing of small businesses and helping diversify established companies.
The disruption of mobile technology on the traditional nine-to-five office worker model has given rise to the opportunity to consolidate corporate space and increase density, with workers increasingly opting to complete tasks from off site locations. All hours access means workers can create better balance in their personal lives and employers can reduce overhead expenses with purpose built refreshed spaces and fit outs.
It might not be a commune in the traditional sense, but the benefits of a community with a common goal is a visionary way of doing business.
About Outline Design
Outline Design is an established commercial interior design firm based in Auckland, New Zealand offering the full range of interior design services. To find out more contact us.
