You don’t have to work at Google, Facebook or even a budding tech startup to enjoy a thriving and inspiring office culture. Whether you live in a small town, a large city or a rural community, coworking hubs are taking root across North America and are a great example of why cubicles are on the way out.
More and more companies are beginning to adopt a flexible working structure that enables employees to work from home, coffee shops or shared working spaces a few days a week. These spaces allow freelancers, solopreneurs and small businesses to meet and work in an office setting without having to rent a large space all on their own. The influx of millennial workers and the eschewing of the traditional office setting is making these kinds of workspaces especially attractive.
Wondering what these offices actually look like on the inside? Here are five of the best coworking spaces in North America, as well as what makes each hub so unique.
For those who are surf-obsessed or just can’t get enough of the beach, this a a coworking space you’ve got to check out. The Surf Office has locations in a few cities around the world and advertises itself as welcoming “entrepreneurs, startup teams and digital nomads”.The space in Santa Cruz is the only beach villa slash coworking space in the San Francisco Bay Area. This office truly blurs the line between work and play and allows you to blend your laid-back lifestyle with the traditional nine-to-five. Enjoy after-hours events like yoga, beach volleyball, BBQs and movie nights.
Icehouse is located in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. This coworking space is actually a converted 1920s warehouse, which gives it an authentic, vintage aesthetic. Their high ceilings give the space a lot of breathing room, which makes working there both comfortable and inspiring.
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This unique space truly lives and breathes the New Orleans vibe. The soda machine has beer options, the space is dog-friendly and the unique cast of characters working there means you might be sitting next to a trapeze artist one day and a computer programmer the next.
Workplace One is a high-end, luxury coworking space. They have three locations in Toronto that are perfect for both local workers and those in town on business. Their office spaces are lavishly designed, making them a great place to impress your clients.Workers can choose from a variety of office space setups, including virtual offices, dedicated desks, team spaces, lounges and meeting rooms. If you’re in the Toronto area looking to get down to work, swing by Workplace One and see if there’s a spot open for you.
The focus of this unique space is sustainability. The goal of HiVE Vancouver is to bring entrepreneurs and freelancers together to create massive social impact. This space has the usual amenities of any coworking space, such as permanent desks, hot desks or virtual desks. However, they also have art programs and community partnerships that can help you integrate your work into the local community.If you’re an entrepreneur who wants to make a positive impact on the world, then consider HiVE Vancouver as your next coworking space of choice.
BoxJelly is one of the only coworking spaces available in Honolulu, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. This space offers conference rooms, open event spaces for parties and networking events, a large room for presentations and a flexible office setting so you can get down to work in whatever way suits you best. Some of the state’s best tech events, like Unconferenz 2016, are also held here.
Whether you’re on vacation or call this island paradise your home, BoxJelly offers the perfect minimalist space in which to focus and get some much-needed work done.
Utilizing a coworking space can be a great way to transform your office routine and meet like-minded individuals, that believe in community, openness, collaboration, accessibility and sustainability.
And remember, no matter where you live, the chances are good that there’s a beautiful and functional space in your neighborhood, so you can stop by for a visit — and might just end up staying.
Photos: The Surf Office, The Surf Office, Chris Fettin Design, Workplace One, HiVE Vancouver, BoxJelly