5 Quirky coworking spaces to boost creativity

If hybrid is reinventing our approach to the workplace, these offbeat workspaces are reimagining the environment in which work gets done. And why not? Airbnb’s website routinely boasts a popular assortment of unique places to vacation – boats, lighthouses, treehouses. What if the same logic applied to where we work? As a matter of fact, it does. 

Work spaces or Quirky spaces?

It’s a question workplace leaders have begun to ask themselves. Can a work space benefit from being different – even radically so – from other spaces a company’s employees may typically inhabit? Are interesting work spaces more conducive to productivity than linear, plain vanilla ones? Can “quirky” actually drive productivity?   

Evidence suggests the relationship between space and work is indeed real, and that improving people’s experience of their work environment can boost their performance – not to mention their wellbeing. Choosing spaces that inspire, energize and support employees, that push the boundaries of what a conventional workspace should look like, should be a business imperative in the new era of work.

Quirky + productivity 

If productivity is about setting wheels in motion – getting things done and hitting goals in the most effective way, and in the least amount of time – the relationship between individuals and their environment plays a vital role. Workspace can be a critical determinant of how employees feel, perform and interact with others. Offbeat or quirky work environments have been shown to increase engagement levels, foster camaraderie between teams, and even motivate ideation and problem-solving. They encourage collaboration, an interpersonal incubator unto itself that can fuel powerful ideas. Talk about the uniqueness of the space itself – shipping containers! warehouses! speakeasies! – becomes both an ice breaker and a springboard to discussion about the business and its objectives.

Quirky + creativity

Creativity is different from productivity, but it drives productivity just the same. Unlike productivity, creativity isn’t about time, it’s about energy. And energy absolutely has to do with environment.  

What does a creative environment look like? That’s a subjective question. For one person, it might simply be a pleasant view. Others might prefer a space that offers natural light or tactile surfaces like exposed brick walls or hardwood floors. Maybe it’s the space’s orientation or its depth. Maybe it’s the greenery. Recent studies have found that plants in an office setting can boost productivity by as much as 15 percent! 

Creativity can sometimes be embedded in a space’s former life. Workspaces housed in old railway stations, police headquarters, or Salvation Army buildings exude a character that comes from the structures themselves, that can’t be conceived in an architect’s plans. If those walls could talk. They may not talk, but they can definitely inspire.

What does a creative space look like? The answer is you’ll know it when you see it, when you feel it, and so will your employees. 

Quirky + hybrid work

Many would agree the recent shift to remote work has posed a fresh challenge to both creativity and productivity. According to a recent research study, 22% of remote workers agreed that working from home has dampened their creative spirits, with one in four managers agreeing with that assessment. Isolation is no friend to either imagination or innovation, the study suggests. 

Then there’s the Zoom factor. The same study also asserts that creativity can be negatively impacted by the same technology hybrid work helped give rise to in the first place. Forty percent of those surveyed said it was just too difficult to collaborate over a call or video conference. No whiteboard. No camaraderie. No synergy.

How can a quirky workspace make a difference? Offbeat workspaces can accomplish two objectives at once – they give employees a place to gather while simultaneously creating the spark needed to make those gatherings productive as can be. Team leaders simply need to get the meeting on the books and pick an appropriate spot. 

Quirky loves company (Let’s start with yours)

Here are a few idea starters – high energy (or even high exertion) places that double as transformative workplace environments.  

1. Shift Workspaces, Colorado

Forget white walls and office cubicles. This workspace in Littleton, Colorado, is high drama. From dark wooden floors and brick interiors, to bright velvet couches, soft leather chairs and ceilings filled with chandeliers, you'll be sure to find inspiration in this space. It's an imaginative and inventive twist on the office as we've previously known it: minimalism to maximalism. The aesthetic philosophy that 'more is more' (which hopefully also means more productivity and more creativity!)

Schedule a tour today to witness this space for yourself. 

2. GDI Hub, Lisbon

Workspace or 90s nightclub? Who says workspaces can't be retro-futuristic, neon and bold. GDI Hub based in Lisbon, Portugal, offers everything from private offices and meeting rooms to coworking desks, an event space, auditorium and cinema room. (There's even a rooftop coming soon). Switch out the blank board room and yawn-inducing conference space. Let's make your next annual company meet up memorable.

Inquire about this work and event space here.

3. Space Shack Coworking, Berlin

Can color affect your mood? According to color pyschology, yes. Yellow in particular is found to make people feel spontaneous and happy. It can improve mood, counteract stress and activate memory. *Orders yellow wall paint immediately*

It's thought to have a direct influence on the right side of the brain, where deep thinking and the capacity for intuition reside, and yellow-colored rooms have been found to activate our thinking processes and generate new ideas... That's why this space is drenched in it.

Space Shack said: "We have prepared a space with an insane variety of areas for different purposes. This way we keep you in an adventurous state of mind". We like the sound of that!

Book by the hour, day, week or month here.

4. The Farm SoHo, NYC

A farm in the heart of NYC's SoHo, just without the animals (pets are allowed though!) The Farm SoHo will wow you and your guests with its rustic charm, warm interior and inviting environment. Here you can join NYC’s community of designers, developers, social change agents, artists, and entrepreneurs that have converged to share ideas, innovate and learn in a collaborative and nurturing setting. The character of this coworking space is sure to make you fall in love with work again, and serve up a serious dose of inspiration.

Book a hot desk or dedicated desk here.

5) Agents of Spring, Melbourne

This purpose-built creative space in Melbourne's CBD is named 'The Nursery', perhaps because on first glance it could resemble a crèche with its rainbow-coloured bookshelves, a paper plane lighting installation and collaborative craft tables. That's because this space was designed by architects, GSA Artillery, to facilitate strategic thinking, collaboration and creative problem-solving.

The 100 sq meter space is ideal for workshops, company off-sites, team meetings and training complete with whiteboards, projector, lush plants, a bar and a fully stocked fridge. What more could you need to get into some deep work with your team?

Book it for your next IRL meeting now.

Conclusion

The flexible workplace future is here. It’s a creative moment! For organizations looking for creative ways to encourage team-building, or to generate the creative spark needed for employees to solve problems, the right space can be the catalyst they’ve been searching for. Fun, non-traditional workspaces can be true difference-makers that lead to increased engagement, better problem-solving, and happier teammates. That timely brainstorming session where your employees produce their sharpest, shrewdest, most strategic thinking yet, it just needs the right environment – and a quirky environment might be a perfect fit. 

Quirky, unconventional, unorthodox – call it what you wish and don’t be afraid to call on it for your hybrid workspace needs.