Coworking | Research Groupe on Collaborative Spaces

Coworking, immobilier et services partagés : un nouveau levier pour les politiques de la ville ?

La crise a fait son œuvre. Dans de nombreuses capitales occidentales, l’immobilier de bureau traverse une (relative) période de crise. Les immeubles de bureaux se louent ou se vendent moins bien. Surtout, les marges des grands constructeurs ou opérateurs de l’immobilier s’érodent de plus en plus.

Comme en témoigne la stratégie actuelle de Bouygues Immobilier* ou de Nexity (avec Blue Office), le développement de services partagés semble alors incarner un certain renouveau. On met en place le partage de véhicules pour un même immeuble ou bloc immobilier. On partage même parfois à plusieurs sa place de parking. Le constructeur devient alors autant un assembleur d’éléments immobilier et mobilier que de services (externalisés la plupart du temps vers de jeunes pousses). Les entités externes qui aident à faire la création de valeur sont autant des sociétés de service installées que de jeunes entreprises dynamiques… A nouveau, les Cathédrales montrent … Read more

Corporate Coworking: What Is the Reality Behind It?

by Blandine Bréchignac

Beyond the quick and massive development of the coworking movement, a recent phenomenon raises attention: corporate coworking (sometimes called “corpoworking”). Is that a new corporate fashion trend? A new idea to strenghten employees motivation? A new lever for real estate optimisation? An incentive to innovate again and again (or more and better)? And what really happens in corporate coworking spaces?

All these questions made it necessary to conduct an in-depth study about corpoworking, what we did from July 2014 to October 2015, in three European countries, France, Germany and Switzerland, comparing the cases of six companies, of different sizes and diverse industries.

For greater precision, the study was based on a deliberately restrictive meaning of “corporate coworking”: the analysis bears solely on coworking spaces created by companies for their employees, and in some cases for outside users as well. The study does not focus on practices, which … Read more

Event of RGCS London – 01/15

Dear all,

We are pleased to announce the next event of RGCS London, the 15th January, 9.00-16.00 at Cass Business School.

The topic will be: “Collaboration and Innovation in New Workplaces:coworking spaces and maker spaces in London”

Invitation can be accessed here: Invitation – RGCS London 15th January 2016

Please confirm your registration at the following adress: collaborativespaces@gmail.com

Looking forward to meeting you soon in London

François, Hélène, Stefan, Yesh & Nathalie, coordinators of RGCS London

Collaborative spaces in Paris, Singapore and Sydney: so far, so close?

I am just back from a trip in Singapore and Sydney which has been an opportunity to visit 15 collaborative spaces (e.g. coworking spaces, fab lab and maker spaces).

What a strange feeling… going so far, and feeling so close to what I already know.

Firstly, feeling so close to what I have seen in France and other countries. Same pieces of furniture (post-its, acoustic bubbles, iconic ping-pong tables, chalk boards, Ikea seats and tables…), same space design (welcome desk, general L or U shape of the place…), same emphasis on a ‘community’ (see the charter of Stone & Chalk below), general use of open spaces punctuated sometimes by small closed offices…

Picture 1: The community charter of Stone & Chalk in Sydney

This makes me realize, again, how global our world has become. People share the same information, the same training (e.g. standardized MBA programs), the same providers and … Read more

Fab time: let me show you our new space in the city

Maker spaces, fab labs, hacker spaces, innovation labs, media labs… are great things to show. What is more effective, to impress a visitor, than to show him or her a place, an ‘innovative’ place. To make innovation, during the time of a tour, ‘something’ which can be seen, told, touched, in a word, experienced. Collaborative spaces are iconic spaces expected to concentrate the best of a company or society at large: collaboration and collaborative values, innovation, up to date technologies, glamorous furniture, stimulating colors and shapes, cool atmosphere…

In companies, a fab lab is thus a great think to show to external visitors, in particular customers. The place is attractive, and its openness makes it easy for him or her to project himself or herself into the space.

Beyond that, a fab lab (and collaborative spaces at large) are great opportunities for communication and demonstration in the context of cities … Read more

Des nouvelles formes de collaboration : quelles utopies sociales ?

« You will join a community ». La promesse est récurrente. A la distinction consommateur-producteur succèderait aujourd’hui une catégorie unique : celle des collaborateurs. Liés par une infrastructure numérique globale, des communautés imbriquées, un langage quasi-universel (l’anglais), des standards, des peurs et des fantasmes planétaires, nous voilà tous sur un même bateau. Chaque individu, et chaque objet (de plus en plus « connecté ») peut désormais être pris dans le vaste mouvement de la collaboration.

Pour la énième fois, fini les hiérarchies. Les immeubles de la cité et les organigrammes s’aplatissent toujours plus, habités par des individus incités à des collaborations plus horizontales.

Mais quelles sont les nouvelles utopies sociales qui nourrissent aujourd’hui ce « travailler ensemble » (ce qu’est étymologiquement la collaboration) ? Qu’est-ce qui fondent les valeurs collaboratives des mouvements sociaux comme ceux des makers, du coworking ou de l’entrepreneuriat social ? Les utopies du 19ème siècle ? … Read more

Réunion 10 Novembre 2015: RGCS Working Group “Public Policies and collaborative spaces”

La prochaine réunion du Working Group “Public Policies” coordonné par Fabrice Periac aura lieu Mardi 10 novembre 2015 de 17h à 19h à l’Université Paris Dauphine (Espace One).

Nous aurons le plaisir d’assister à deux présentations:

– 17h: Valérie Ambroise-Renault, Docteur en Développement Durable et co-fondatrice de la plateforme collaborative Hopynity partagera avec nous son retour d’expérience, au cours d’une présentation intitulée: “Un espace collaboratif en ligne dédié à l’émergence de nouvelles coopérations entre les acteurs de la recherche et ceux de l’innovation – Focus sur la dimension territoriale de ces nouvelles coopérations”

– 18h: Ignasi Capdevila, Professeur associé à Paris School of Economics, présentera ses recherches sur les espaces collaboratifs de Barcelone : “Co-workers, Makers et Fabbers: Dynamiques d’innovations internes, locales et globales dans des communautés localisées à Barcelone”

Chaque présentation sera suivie d’un temps pour les questions, échanges et discussions informelles.

Au plaisir de vous

RGCS London Meetings: 22nd and 23rd of October

Friday 22nd October 2015, from 5 to 7 PM at the LSE, we will organize the first meeting of RGCS London about ‘Communication and Legitimacy in collaborative spaces’ (NAB 4.07).

The meeting will be managed by Magda Hercheui (UCL) and François-Xavier de Vaujany (UPD).

Friday 23rd October 2015, from 3 to 6 pm (room 2.47) at Kings College we are sharing new insghts.

The seminar will start with a presentation by Oliver Marlow, co-founder and Creative Director at Tilt Studio “Co-designing a space for collaboration and creativity: The case of maker spaces”

It will be followed by a presentation by Tuukka Toivonen (SOAS University of London) entitled: “Hubs & Labs: Sociological approaches to researching entrepreneurial spaces and collectivities”

This presentation will be followed by another presentation by François-Xavier de Vaujany and Anouk Mukherjee (Université Paris-Dauphine) entitled: “Maker spaces and their trategies of legitimation in the city: an exploratory study in … Read more

Agenda for the 23rd of October meeting in London

Our next meeting is on the 23rd of October at Kings College at 2pm, .

The seminar will start with a presentation by the manager of a third place in London.

Then, Tuukka Toivenen (Phd) from SOAS University of London, is presented one of his recent research untitled

“ Hubs & Labs: Sociological approaches to researching entrepreneurial spaces and collectivities ”

This presentation will be followed by a working progress project conducted by Pr François-Xavier de Vaujany and Anouk Mukherjee, from Paris Dauphine University, untitled

“ New social hubs and their strategies of legitimation in the city: an exploratory study of third places in Paris“

Please be free to invite some colleagues. Download the Invitation – RGCS London 23rd October

We are looking forward to see you again !… Read more