Grace Rodriguez asked on Google+ a few weeks ago: “Houston (and anyone else who’d like to weigh in): If you could create a coworking space from scratch, what would you want it to have – both features/amenities and community-wise – and how would you like it to function to support you as an entrepreneur/creative professional?”
The response has been incredible! (See below for some of the feedback we’ve received via G+.) As we develop the space for launch, we would love your feedback! Please leave your wishlist in the comments below.
If you want to be on the list for a special invitation to our “Beta” launch, please sign up here:
And in the meantime, to get a taste of what we’re working on, watch below or visit C2 Creative Potential. Thanks!
Catherine Maguire - This is probably too much of an ask, but…. could it possibly have a group of floating people who can be called upon for support as and when needed (within limits), a shared group (shared by the community and part of the community) who are capable of many things from simple things like overprinting to more adventurous things like bouncing ideas off?
Coy Davidson - The right building in the right location will be critical. I have seen them come and go in Houston over the years.
Catherine Maguire - Right, well if I’m thinking physical space for the moment then the ‘floating people’ could be taken on in numbers and skill level that reflect the needs of the ‘community’.
If everyone in the community was in a position like me, as in not needing someone full time or even long term part time, then each of the community members could contribute to those peoples wages.
So (just sketching here) if there were 10 ‘community’ members and 1 floating person and each member paid a blanket rate of one hour per day (the floating folk may spend more than one hour per day over a period of time with each member) then over a 35 hours week that person could float for 3.5 hours to each member. (Alternatively they could given proper timetabling go for 7 hours one week and nothing the next).
So each member could have the floating person for 3.5 hours a week for a one hour a day fee. Which would break down the cost problem for small business taking someone on. Collective employment. Think I’ve just coined a new phrase there.
As a small business person I can’t take on someone at a living wage. But I could pay an hour a day and receive 3.5 hours a week in return. (sounds mad doesn’t it, I’ll pay for 7 hours a week and take 3.5 of them)
10 community members each paying £10 per day = £100 per day for the floater
£100 x 5 days = £500 per week = £2000 per month before tax = full time wage.3.5 hours per week if I organise myself properly would probably be all I would need a person for at the moment, but £35 per week isn’t a wage for anybody.
Bill Shirley - (I’m a great brain-stormer, problem solver, shoot holes in your idea – guy, if you’re hiring
I would like bicycle parking + shower/locker facilities. Not directly connected would be best. I don’t want to see (or be seen) sweaty, stinky people, but i want to get that way on the way there. Of course, adjacent to a gym would solve the problem – and you could likely get a group discount, and only those wanting it would have to pay for that part.
Catherine Maguire - ok, if you’re going barking mad, then maybe a 3D printer, not sure why yet, but it might prove useful for some ‘creative’ types (not me)
Catherine Maguire - Recording and editing would be useful for us. If we were in the right country never mind the right state. Bulk printing facility of some sort would be useful, one that’s clever and can fold etc. While you’re on the wish list, chuck in a creche , one that’s open to more than just the community.
Tim Raymond - It would be nice if you had an area for “road warriors” who just need to park their butts and work awhile (and have food, coffee, tea for sale). Maybe you’d offer this for a small fee; maybe it would be x-amount of time with the purchase of food or coffee. Coffee shops are fine; but I don’t like making/returning phone calls from there (rude to others and somewhat noisy — some places are so bad, it would sound like I am calling from a party or a bar). And, print places frown on food/coffee, so that would help (while it would be an extra stream of revenue, I understand it would add an extra licensing challenge). Also, if (as an outsider), I could find people who wish to collaborate on ideas (perhaps offer creative service/print and other design for hire) that would be great. I went to Costco today to return some calls I missed while meeting with a client on Richmond (no office location was close enough to get to the calls in time and I don’t take notes well while driving).
Javid Jamae - Focus on tech-workers (developers, designers, IT geeks)
Caves and Commons layout
Mid-Town or Galleria
Comfortable furniture
Coffee shop and inexpensive food near (or within) facility
Not “primitive” looking, like Caroline Collective (no offense to anyone)
Kitchen facility with good ventilation
Projectors / Screens
Game roomJavid Jamae - +Grace Rodriguez Ya, like ping-pong, foosball, pool, and a projector screen with game systems connected.
Javid Jamae - Add Handicap Accessible to the list
Coy Davidson - +Grace Rodriguez Inner Loop …I would say Midtown or Montrose area. I leased a building at 3815 Montrose that was a huge hit with the tech and design crowd. Its a building you would expect to see in Austin or San Francisco. It has some character but is very nice. If you get a chance go by it and walk inside. I so want to work on a project like it again.
Devlin Browning - So you go from concept to design to 3D mockup assuming at least one rental station is usable for both graphics and CAD. Then what? Have you thought of a laser guided CNC machine? Problem is you need someone to run it. Do you have a fabrication shop to partner with?
Javid Jamae - +Grace Rodriguez One more… whiteboards on every wall..
Kurt Stoll - I think you need separate areas for different purposes:
- Open table area for casual working and collaboration
- Open cubicle area for more focus (could be time-share or permanent/reserved)
- Small (or even very small) closed-off rooms for even more focus and ability to make private phone calls or even conference calls with minimal noise (could be time-share or permanent/reserved)
- Standard-sized Offices
- Conference Room (s)
- Large open area for large groups 100+ persons for big projections and presentations to support large tech/social groups in town
- Coffee Shop / Food (preferably physically a part of Coworking building). You could find a local vendor to lease it.Javier Fadul - Just had to up+vote all of this! Great feedback everyone.
If you don’t have specific ideas, upvote the ones you like.I nominate a lazer cutter and/or veggie and fruit garden, not in that order or priority.
Also if anyone wants to throw down on an EEG (http://www.emotiv.com/) I am down!
ray montalvo - I’ve often had this same dream for Los Angeles. It seems an expensive proposition though. I agree with the notion that there needs to be a section that is useful for transient patrons which offers limited advantages (food, rest, wi-fi, services) and then a “club” area for those needing more space, time, expensive services (conf. rooms, recording facilities, etc). Each of these areas should have a quiet area and a noisy area. Personally, I like the idea of a library where I can eat/drink. But sometimes I want a loud room with energy to feed off of.
Christopher Smith - Add my vote for foosball. Not enough of that being played in this town!
I think a 50-75 person sized meeting space, with functional, well-implemented projection and power/ethernet wifi in the seated area would be killer. Of course, a couple of small 6-10 person rooms would also be nice.
I would dig back through 37signal’s blog posts about their new office. They had some killer ideas for ‘quiet rooms’ and the way they set up their desk/work area.
PS: Put me on the list for your preview meetup if you have the space. I’d love to be involved if I can help.
Jacob Shiach - In regards a coworking space, I would have as few walls as possible, no permanent private offices but rentable desks, lots of natural lighting, noise dampening to keep noise levels down, rfid card access, fiber, fully networked, and of course team up with your local hackerspace to provide prototyping equipment like 3D printers and CNC cutters
Probably the only coworking space I ever got excited about was one at http://33flatbush.com and it wasn’t just cause it was a beautiful 7story building in brooklyn but because the people in the building were awesome. You had biologists(http://genspace.org), next to urban planners(http://www.youarethecity.com/), next to Activists(http://endowmentethics.org/). So the Who is far more important than what is in a coworking space.
Jeff Stark - +Grace Rodriguez – nice post and all great comments. I just read this post and getting caught up so forgive me. I am on the board of the University of Houston Graphic Design Alumni and I am also invloved with AIGA Houston. We had an AIGA committee meeting last week actually where this type of intivitive came up and sparked a lot of interest where we were throwing out similar ideas. The main focus was building an environment for the creative community in Houston – something we discussed was a coworking space. Along with a venue for workshops, inspirational speaker events, educational opportunties, exbihits, collaboration opportunities, networking events, a meeting space for local organizations like UHGAP, AIGA Houston, and others. Talked about getting other organizations involved like AIA, Meetup Groups, GrownUp Houston, Houston Social Media Breakfast, etc… I am wondering if there is some cross-over with your discussion and ours. I just forwarded this on to the presidents of UHGAP and AIGA Houston to get their thoughts. I am sure we would be intersted in the walk-through Friday and discussing more. Let me know your thoughts.
April Guzik - +Jeff Stark you nailed every bit on of our discussion. +Grace Rodriguez I am the President of AIGA Houston and would definitely like to discuss further along with Robin Parrish who is our Design Week Director. Please let us know when we could setup a private meeting. Thanks and look forward to meeting you!
