It is no secret that there has been a fundamental shift towards a new way of working–a movement where we’re moving from a traditional office model to more flexible and relaxed working environments that foster creativity and collaboration. With this in mind, the team here were lucky enough to be offered an exclusive tour in WeWork’s second Birmingham location at 6 Brindleyplace, which opened last week, following its first in the city, which opened at 55 Colmore Row in November last year.
At the forefront of this shift is WeWork, the world’s leading coworking and space-as-a-service platform.
It’s true that this new era of flexible working has continued to grow year on year; flexible workspaces currently make up 5% of the UK Commercial Real Estate market, with this figure expected to rise to 15-30% over the next decade. And, having seen the new WeWork location at 6 Brindleyplace, it’s no surprise that coworking is taking the working world by storm, with WeWork as the market leader.
WeWork 6 Brindley Place
Upon arrival, Margaret Dobrowolski, Community Lead at WeWork 6 Brindleyplace, welcomed us into the space and we were instantly drawn in by the use of natural light in the building, as well as the cool, relaxed atmosphere of the space, which caters to both hot-deskers and companies who are looking for private offices.
The workspace provides large conference rooms, beautifully designed communal areas, and light-filled lounges, providing lots of opportunities for members to collaborate and network. We felt instantly motivated.
Margaret kindly showed us the pantry area where members are able to enjoy their breakfast with other members, and kick start the day in a positive way. The barista station was next on the list, with delicious coffee served to members from 9am-3pm–a huge perk, especially for those days where you need an extra dose of caffeine.
Following this, Margaret took us to the Quiet room, which was situated next to the beautiful lounge area; a space perfectly designed to take a breather, and gather your thoughts. With creative books and potted plants, we felt relaxed and at home (although all in agreement, we felt way more productive here than we would have felt at home!).
As is the case with an increasing number of employers, at WeWork, wellbeing for both its employees and members is a priority. This can be seen with the dedicated Wellness studio at 6 Brindleyplace, which hosts yoga sessions and meditation classes for members who are looking to de-stress for an hour in between meetings on a busy work day. This certainly compliments the pre-existing wellness culture we have here at Brindleyplace, which offers yoga sessions and beekeeping classes (Yes really!).
Margaret enlightened us that the building had been designed with inspiration from the city, and we really felt this. Like all WeWork locations, 6 Brindleyplace combined WeWork’s recognisable global brand aesthetic with a local edge to ensure members felt the familiarity of their hometown, and were comfortable.
What is worth noting, and what we all were impressed by, is that WeWork manages to cater to any business and does it with style. Members based in Birmingham are not only able to connect with other members in the city, they also have access to other WeWork communities around the UK and globally–as well as access to WeWork’s global member app that connects 662,000+ memberships across 140 cities in 37 countries.
By creating an incredible space that offers innovation, collaboration and flexibility, (you can even take your dog to work, or help yourself to a beer post 3:30pm), it is no surprise that WeWork has already built a fantastic presence here in Birmingham; with its unique member benefits, beautiful designed spaces and conveniently located offices with exceptional transport links. Brindleyplace has always been a trailblazer in the office market and the arrival of WeWork adds to our impressive range of office options across the estate.
Margaret commented “We’re thrilled to open our second WeWork location in Birmingham at Brindleyplace, a hub for local and international businesses. Birmingham, of course, has a thriving culture of entrepreneurs, startups and enterprise companies, and we are so pleased to have opened our doors here in such an established business district in the city. As ever, we are dedicated to providing the best possible experience for our members, and through our curated events and networking opportunities, we can’t wait to watch our community here grow.”
If you are interested in finding out more about either WeWork locations–6 Brindleyplace or 55 Colmore Row–please get in touch with Community Manager, Ed Hobbs at ed.hobbs@wework.com.
