How Coworking Came About
Post on July 14, 2023
Today, coworking spaces are everywhere. About 1.93 million people used a coworking space in 2020 alone. But how did they become a thing? Here’s a brief overview of the history of coworking.
1994
Life is a dreary blur of corporate cubicles and strip lights. People are working together, but not officially “coworking”, as the term had not even been coined… yet.
1995
Enter a group of 17 computer engineers in Berlin, Germany. They want to bring more computer engineers together to collaborate on coding projects and share knowledge. So they open a C-Base, a non-profit space equipped with computers where fellow engineers can work on their projects in an open environment. They call it a “hackerspace”. Word catches on and soon after, hackerspaces start popping up in the USA.
1999
American game designer and fun theorist Bernard DeKoven coins the term “coworking” to describe the concept of “working together as equals”. He’s envisioning a way of breaking down work hierarchies by using game design principles. He uses this new word to describe a form of collaboration, rather than a type of space.
2002
In Vienna, Austria, two entrepreneurs are sick of working from home. They have an idea: a space where other entrepreneurs (who are surely also sick of working from home) could gather to work and collaborate. So they set up a functional shared space that they call “Schraubenfabrik”. This entrepreneurial centre soon attracts all sorts of professionals, from startup founders to architects to PR consultants. Everyone is glad to be out of the house.
2005
In San Francisco, USA, a guy called Brad Neuberg is unhappy. He feels that traditional offices (and home offices) are antisocial and counterproductive. He dreams of a space with free WiFi, group bike rides, shared lunches and massage sessions. So on 9 August he opens “San Francisco Coworking Space” - a space with everything he dreamed of…
Nobody shows up… for a whole month.
It is a novel concept: people working independently, yet within a community.Slowly, over time, the space fills up then gains momentum. Neuberg becomes famous. Similar spaces spring up in New York, Austin, Phoenix, and all the way over in London.
2007
The term “coworking” trends on Google and gains traction across global media. A Wikipedia page is published on the growing workplace trend. Coworking spaces are now officially a thing.
2010
On 9 August, #CoworkingDay is celebrated and becomes an annual celebration thereafter. Now, there are 600 coworking spaces in the world, with more than half in North America.
2011
In New York, Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey open their first WeWork location with the goal of being the go-to space for entrepreneurs and freelancers. With a focus on aesthetics, community building and low pricing, they are almost instantly propelled into the spotlight and quickly expand, opening multiple coworking spaces across the country. Within a year, there are more than 2,000 coworking spaces around the world.
2015
The idea of combining coworking with travelling is featured in The New York Times. The article details the idyllic lifestyle of coworking with coliving in the Canary Islands and suddenly, hundreds of people leave their offices and become digital nomads, working as they travel.
2020
Just as the world is about to shut down, there are more than 19,000 coworking spaces worldwide. In lockdown, people work online and meet on Zoom. Some consider this to be the end of coworking.
But the strength of coworking spaces lies in their flexibility and adaptability. With heightened hygiene, rearranged spaces, and enhanced digital functionality, coworking spaces survive. And then, as the world reopens with remote working as the norm, they thrive.
2023
Today, the existence of traditional office spaces is being questioned. In many companies around the world, flexible work is now a given. Rigid work structures are now as unappealing as the isolation of working from home. People are seeking more flexibility as well as more community. Coworking spaces naturally provide both.
2024 and beyond
The number of coworking spaces worldwide is predicted to expand to almost 15,000 by 2024. Flexible working trends will continue to boom, opening up myriad opportunities for flexible work spaces in all forms. We are confident in saying coworking is here to stay.
To find out more about predicted trends for coworking spaces, read our article 5 coworking trends in 2023.
If you’re looking for a good coworking space in Singapore, contact the workbuddy team and we’ll help you find your new favourite space. With over 45 coworking spaces on our network, you're sure to find one that you love. Simply download the workbuddy app and try it out with one week free!