Coworking is an English expression often used to refer to a shared workspace, although this doesn’t encompass the nuances of the movement. In recent years, the office real estate sector has seen significant growth in this type of spaces.
Real estate consultants explain that it is a new way of working and managing workspace. It isn’t the same as renting an office in a business center, as interaction among members is a key element for growth at a coworking space.
So, it’s not only about sharing bills. It goes much further. The foundations of coworking lie in creating stable professional relationships and a community of professionals whose projects are based on networking. A community that brings together a wide array of professions from all arenas to benefit from and share resources, contacts and expertise.
Coworking at Spain
When we talk about coworking, we’re referring to a global movement that is taking place worldwide. According to the Global Coworking Map, Spain has 137 spaces mainly located in Barcelona and Madrid, and is 2nd in Europe in the office market for this type of spaces, surpassed only by the United Kingdom, with 304, and ahead of France (77) and Germany (56).
Among the professional profiles that have helped this boom in coworking spaces, we have to mention millennials and entrepreneurs, as well as freelancers working in new technology. In terms of geography, city centers with the savings they offer in terms of transport expenses and time, are the location of choice for most coworking communities.
WeWork and Spaces are two large international coworking operators that have moved in to Spain with a vengeance.
Currently, the US-based giant WeWork has 2 buildings in Barcelona’s 22@ district, with 4,500 m² and 6,500 m² respectively, and one on Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid, with 6,000 m².
Regus and its coworking brand Spaces (both owned by multinational corporation IWG) expect to open up to 7 new centers in Spain in 2018, on top of the 3 they currently have: 2 in the center of Madrid, 4,000 m² and 2,500 m² approximately, and one in Barcelona, with 3,000 m² in the 22@ district.
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