The concept of cohabitant or collaborative workspace is taking hold in cities across the world, and is translating into office rentals that share space and have flexible lease terms. In Cape Town, The Bureaux, which offers shared workspace, is tapping directly into this trend.
The Bureaux founder Greg Beadle says that strong demand indicates a clear gap in the market: “We started offering shared office space in The Woodstock Exchange in Albert Road, because it offered the ideal space for entrepreneurs and SME owner operators to test the cohabitant workspace concept and we have since expanded the concept to buildings in Sea Point and Cape Town CBD with plans well underway to open more spaces around Cape Town.”
“We invest substantially to create shared workspaces that feel right and have all of the facilities of a professional office space. I initially chose the Woodstock Exchange as the environment offers a well-lit, easy-flow workhub and tenants are sourced with the intent of sparking collaboration.”
Entrepreneurs or small business owners usually start off working from home and/or coffee shops. Working from home might be beneficial and cost effective during the start-up phase; however the daily distractions of being at home tend to get in the way running a business productively.
Global tech leaders Google and Apple are known for promoting open-office design, believing that innovation is at its best when employees are working together.
“Shared workspace should encourage collaboration while being social, but it must be respectful of privacy,” comments Beadle. “We have creatives, professionals and start-up brands contributing their energy and the result is very positive and if they want to get out of the office there are coffeee shops and restaurants right there.”
The ground floor of The Woodstock Exchange with places like Rosetta, Superette and The Field Office, buzz with business meetings throughout the day.
A key benefit to working in a shared work habitat is the ability to exchange ideas and build new business relationships. Steve Jobs believed that the best ideas came from spontaneous meetings of the minds. He planned for the PIXAR toilets to be in one central location so that creatives would bump into each other more often, consistently sparking new ideas.
Expansion is the ambition for most small business owners. What starts off in the study at home usually evolves into an office in the city bowl district, this is a goal shared by many entrepreneurs. Growth can be an exciting time for the business owner, but it can also be frightening and very expensive.
“The Bureaux makes expansion easy – businesses simply rent extra desks as they take on more staff and there is the option to migrate to dedicated office spaces in the building, once their businesses outgrow the shared space,” says Beadle.
With names like the “Corner Office” , the “Engine Room, the “Library”, the “Observatory”, the “Back Office and the “Show Room” , The Bureaux has ensured that there is a space for every type of business.
“We definitely don’t have a one size fits all approach,” says Beadle. “Our spaces are designed to suit the quirks and needs of different businesses and personalities – whether you are quiet or in need of a stimulation to work effectively.”
Contracts and lease agreements can be very intimidating for an entrepreneur entering the market so The Bureaux provides a simplified lease structure. Desk users pay one month’s deposit together with their first month’s rent. This deposit becomes the tenant’s last month’s rent once they give notice to leave.
Typical Bureaux Tenants:
- Tongue Twisters provides voice solutions for any conceivable request and for every medium, from radio and TV ads to narration and animation work. Our aim is to work hands-on to develop new voice artists and to not only help them understand what is expected of them, but to provide them with the tools to deliver every time. “The Bureaux is a creative hub. I’m constantly inspired by the people around me,” says Raph Kossew, Owner of Tongue Twisters.
- Southern Sun Solar was started in the Western Cape to help develop and foster a growing trend for businesses and individuals to go Green. A realization has been setting in that not going green has a negative impact both environmentally and financially. Southern Sun Solar brings industry knowledge and product expertise to a growing renewable energy sector while also addressing the growing need to increase power efficiency and water conservation. “The vibe of having different demographics of people in the building creates a friendly and pleasant working experience,” says Rhett Osborne, managing partner of Southern Sun Solar.
- Lush believes in making effective products from fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils and safe synthetics. They invent their own products and fragrances. Lush makes them fresh by hand using little or no preservatives or packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients, and tell buyers when they were made. Lush believes in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans. “The eclectic ensemble of creative minds and energy. It's got everything you need,” says Tanya-Anne Steyn, brand manager of Lush.