Today, we know of course that those predictions were wrong: the health crisis has rather accelerated the trend towards teleworking and flexibility — bringing a seismic shift in culture where companies around the world have switched to fully remote or hybrid work models.
But while coworking places are no doubt here to stay, they are already forced to reinvent themselves to fit a world where hygiene and social distancing have become key drivers of design. So what does that entail for architects? And what changes should we expect for the future?
One with an idea is Swedish architect and designer Caro Lundin, who opened a co-working space in London in the midst of the pandemic.
It only took six weeks for Lundin’s self-titled studio to complete the construction of ARC Club, after taking over a low-rent retail unit in Hackney. The style is a stripped-back, fuzz-free environment of 232m2 — designed with interiors decked out with a selection of low-cost and durable materials that Lundin felt reflected a climate where coworking is "a necessity and not a nice-to-have."
In this episode of Sapa Series, Lundin tells us more about what materials will likely emerge as hygienic, pandemic-adapted alternatives, how to design for social distancing, what technologies will be featured in shared offices of the future, and how coworking places can drive positive change in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.
See more about Caro in the trailer below. You can watch the full version on May 20th 11:00 on Youtube here: SAPA Series- Caro Lundin