You don't need a beautiful, thoughtfully designed space to produce your best work. But it doesn't hurt. Look at WeWork. Have you been inside one of their two locations in Boston, or any of the dozens of others in the U.S. and abroad? Those spaces just ooze playful productivity. Which, of course, is no accident. They're meticulously planned to promote collaboration and creativity, to coax the inhabitants' best stuff each and every day.
"It’s a mix of art and science. But it’s more toward art."
Just how do they do it?
We chatted with WeWork Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder Miguel McKelvey to find out. And wouldn't you know: The design principles that have won WeWork abundant acclaim – and a growing catalogue of prestigious square feet – can be applied whether you're looking to update a 100-person office, or your at-home study.
Here, my takeaways from our conversation ...
Feng shui isn't really a thing
I sort of wanted it to be, because it's mysterious and romantic and sounds cool. But, alas, feng shui, at least in those terms, doesn't dictate how WeWork goes about designing spaces: "It’s not necessarily anything we use in practice," McKelvey said when pressed. "But I think there is a natural arrangement of things that feels more comfortable."
But energy flow definitely is
The concept of energy, or how people feel in and flow through a physical environment, came up a lot. "There are energy flows to a space that can be supported or interrupted by objects like furniture," said McKelvey. "Are people comfortable? Are they interacting? It’s all about establishing energy. It’s a mix of art and science. But it’s more toward art."
Communal work spaces are used differently depending on the time of day. An environment that considers this, and allows for different uses, is critical. "Open spaces," said McKelvey, "lead to open minds." Allowing for spaces to be arrangeable – think chairs that move, walls that slide, lighting that adapts to different needs – is paramount.
Hear many perspectives before diving in
When WeWork is tasked with building out the floorplan of a new coworking space – be it in London, Amsterdam, Austin or Boston – they get a lot of perspectives around the table and whittle down the concept from there. Everyone looks for and requires something different, after all – many minds make light work.
But know you still might need to adapt
Said McKelvey: "We’ve designed floor plans we thought were great, only to realize they didn’t work at all." And these are the experts. Like many things in life, acknowledging when something isn't going to work, and having the gumption to iterate or flip the script, often leads to the best results.
Think about your people first
This applies at a company or at your home office. The space should reflect the timbre of the company, its goals and day-to-day culture. "We try to think holistically about the users and members," said McKelvey. "Anyone trying to create a space should do that too. You want people to be excited to be in this work space."
Here, he brings up a billboard displayed prominently in their SoHo West location. It reads: "Thank God It's Monday."
Additionally, each WeWork building begins by considering and respecting the context around it. Its Fort Point location, for example, showcases art pieces commissioned from local artists, a practice they're now replicating in most locations.
As in life, variety is key
"What’s really important is variety. It can’t be all offices, all cubicles or all lounge spaces," said McKelvey, again stressing the importance of respecting how people move through the space and designing the physical characteristics around it. A common misconception of WeWork spaces is that they're all open offices. In fact, they're full of glass partitions.
"People have a certain endurance when it comes to open offices. At some point, they need closed off space too," said McKelvey.
Finally, don't overdo it
Careful thought and attention goes in to every nook and cranny of a WeWork space, from the beers on tap to the hanging chairs around a conference table. That's important. But so is users feeling like it's all effortless, like it dropped out of the sky and landed just like they see it. "Things being a little loose and less composed is important," said McKelvey. "It’s hard to adapt when a space feels over-designed."
Editor's note: Hear more from WeWork at BostInno's State of Innovation event, where they'll be hosting an Innovation Lounge. Details below.
Images courtesy of WeWork
