Coworking on the rise

Coworking is an increasingly popular trend in business. The opportunity to have a cost-effective, low-risk and flexible office space is appealing. Networking opportunities and the potential for improved work-life balance are also a few of the benefits that make coworking and shared spaces attractive to some organisations.

Generator, Britomart is a little different. Billing itself as “A versatile playground for serious players,” the overall theme is one of sophistication with multiple touches of luxury, making it feel quite special. The building itself has a raw industrial edge which lends itself well to the sleek and contemporary fit out.

Flexible workspace

The “versatile” elements reveal themselves in the flexibility of the workspace layout - there are a mix of private office suites, flexible desking, and meeting rooms. The layout encourages collaboration whilst small booths dotted about offer an opportunity for a quiet phone call or focused space for one or two people. There are premium board rooms, flexible event spaces, and members’ lounges – all available for one-off events and meetings.

Set above Auckland's beautiful Waitemata harbor, the majority of the floor plan is oriented to make the most of the beautiful views, with multiple balconies offering the opportunity to step outside.

This Generator location opened in June 2018 and two weeks after opening smaller companies had set up office in the glass-fronted 6 person spaces. Larger organisations, such as Expedia and Book a Bach, have also set up here permanently.

Furniture with personality

Kent from contemporary fit-out company, Homage, has worked with the team at Generator for more than 8 years, and notes that each of the Generator buildings has their own personality and character. The brief he was given for this particular space was "quirky, interesting and fun." The space may be sophisticated but it’s certainly not stuffy.

Kent has delivered on this brief with a rich and slightly offbeat colour palette in the furniture, but also by introducing an element of humour and the unexpected. A tribe of monkeys appear in unusual places in the main lounge: providing the base of a lamp – hanging from the rail of the bar. Not immediately evident until you look for them, patrons have made a game of counting them with the promise of a free drink from the bar staff. Vibrantly coloured hanging chairs provide cocoon-like spaces with an option to face a colleague or spin to contemplate the view alone.

PLN Group delivered a number of custom items including six plush velvet sofas, ottomans and canopy chairs.

The onsite bar and café is definitely the hub of the space. The spacious lounge area generates a low hum of activity as people eat and socialise; multiple parties conduct business over laptops. The acoustics of this area seem to have been well considered, as noise levels are comfortable, lending the space a positive energy.

Generator Britomart appears to be a coworking space that is well designed to deliver on the benefits of this genre of work environment. What was also evident, and what will set it apart, is that it is raising the bar on what can be expected in terms of a luxurious and unique user experience.