Here’s a question: what do we all think of co-working spaces these days? I know they were all the rage not that long ago, but now that they’re a bit more of an established thing, how do they rate as actual working environments? Are they more time and money than they’re worth for people who could otherwise be working from home? Are they distracting? Are they the ultimate minimalist experience that sole trading entrepreneurs have been seeking since time immemorial?
I ask because I’m interested in the line between a space that’s homely and personal, and one that’s coolly commercial. Is there even a line? And if so, which side is more effective for working on? What does effectiveness even mean? Help me out, all you armchair office design specialists. Sydney is positively overflowing with design ideas right now, so don’t pretend you’re not out there.
I’ve been assigned to write about this for a publication called Handsome Space, you see. From what I can gather, their thing is cataloguing beautifully finished interiors, with an emphasis on all things handcrafted and bespoke in the world of commercial office fitouts. It seems that Sydney is an up-and-coming contender in this field, and I’m tasked with tracking down some examples. The problem is, I’m not actually aware of that many.
They’re out there, I’m sure. But businesses with handcrafted and bespoke offices are quite likely to fly under the public radar, so I’m not sure how I’m supposed to access them. I guess it’s my job as a journalist to figure that out, which is something I didn’t really think through prior to pursuing this line of work. Regardless, this is my chance to break into the field of writing for magazines – albeit rather obscure ones – so I’d better start thinking it through.
Back to co-working spaces. I’d like to know if they still have that DIY ‘milk crates and pallets’ aesthetic going on, or if they’ve started going down a more corporate route. I’m so out of touch, what with all this freelancing from my couch. Maybe I need to hit up a co-working space.