the aerie is boldly open-plan, a cavernous warehouse loft cradled beneath ancient beams, and increasingly filled with inner west creatives. It’s not for some, but for those of us who co-work in this elysian space, with its rusted truss and saw-toothed rooves, the gentle traction of multiple people’s working endeavour is inspiring and uplifting.
In his article Proof that open-office plans aren’t always terrible, published in the New York Post, Michael Clarke considers the burgeoning growth of open-plan work space:
AS SOME lounge on the couch, others duck away to grab a croissant from the in-house coffee shop. If workers are seeking solitude, it’s no longer drywall that divides them from the clatter and chatter of those nearby. Instead, they strap on a pair of stylish headphones and keep pressing on.
Welcome to the modern workplace: collaborative, casual, open. And as more and more offices adapt to this new type of atmosphere to encourage employee interaction, spawn creativity and boost productivity, the open work space approach is, increasingly, no longer confined to individual companies or organisations.
And he is right. In our rapidly expanding social framework there is an increasing desire for collaboration and shared space. From between the two extremes – vast corporate entities with thousands of suited and booted workers: the home-worker, clad in pyjamas and stinking of sleep – a middle ground is emerging; eclectic, engaging co-working spaces that allow individuals to share resources, inspiration and time, while maintaining sole ownership of their endeavour,
Whatever that might be…