Space Matrix has designed thebridge, a coworking office affiliated with Ascendas-Singbridge, located in Shanghai, China.

4 ways thebridge at Ascendas Innovation Plaza, Shanghai is more than just a space to work from The microwave, the Velcro fastener, corn flakes and dynamites all have one thing in common. They were all invented by accident. In fact, a study of European patents found that over 50% of inventions came about quite by chance.

It just goes to show — one never knows where the next great idea will come from. And indeed, most of the greatest inventions were not the result of lonely scientists working in laboratories — they were born out of the collaboration of creative minds. thebridge at Ascendas Innovation Plaza offers just such an opportunity for collaboration, creative thinking and intellectual engagement.

Their coworking environment is the perfect incubator for brilliant new ideas that may just shape the future. After the resounding success of the Ascendas-Singbridge community workplace in Singapore, they have four new projects being developed simultaneously in Shanghai. They operate on a space-as-a-service model, which offers integrated facilities beyond just a physical location to work from.

1. Variety within the workday Hectic workdays can get monotonous, with people settling down in one corner or sequestering themselves in a meeting room and staying there all day. Though they may get the job done, such unchanging environments are not great for an employee’s mental wellbeing and can lead to workplace fatigue.

The coworking office design of thebridge at Ascendas Innovation Plaza offers a vast variety of lounges, sitting areas and work nooks, each with a unique look and feel, created to beat the monotony of the workday. One can complete the day-to-day tasks at an open design work booth, surrounded by the soothing buzz of the other employees going about their day. Post lunch, they can shift to one of the cosy corner nooks by the window, where they can soak up the evening sun as they work. We also have glass-enclosed private suites for focussed team discussions, and open collaborative areas with long, family-style tables where bigger teams can hash out new ideas over food and beverages. Running through the space is a 3-floor open volume staircase, which adds an extra element of visual interest and playfulness. Aesthetically designed and bathed in natural sunlight, these spaces are functional and inspiring, and help improve workplace productivity.

2. Growth potential Flexibility is an important requirement for companies that work out of coworking spaces. Startups and SMEs often experience a sudden, unforeseen growth that requires them to hire more people. Moving to larger office spaces with each hiring round is not very feasible — they need to know that the space they work out of can accommodate this growth to some degree.

thebridge at Ascendas Innovation Plaza has agility built into the workspace design. The suites have interconnecting doors separating them. When a company wants to expand operations, these doors can simply be opened to connect adjacent rooms to create one large space. Alternately, should they wish to scale down operations, they are able to do so freely, without being locked into more square footage than they require.

3. Community ecosystem Another way thebridge at Ascendas Innovation Plaza stands apart is with the vibrant community ecosystem it fosters within its walls. While patrons only need to pay for the work areas they need, they can take advantage of a whole host of shared offerings and services. The common coworking areas, pantries and lounges offer great opportunities for diverse minds to come together — even if they operate in very different industries and would normally not cross paths. Though the larger companies have private suites, they too share these common spaces with startups, SMEs and individual workers.

The community workspace also hosts various programmes and lifestyle events that are instrumental to business growth. From industry mixers and Designathons to lunch sessions or even Happy Hours, there are ample opportunities to bond within social, professional and entrepreneurial spheres. Who knows, you may find a great workout buddy or your next business partner, all within the workday.

4. Work meets leisure Of course, there is much to do here after hours or when one needs a break from work. thebridge is designed to host food and beverage outlets, where patrons can share a meal with a colleague or get to know a peer they got talking to in the shared lounge. Since these outlets would be open to the local community, they can go a long way in ensuring work-life integration — you can invite a friend over for a mid-morning chat over coffee, or enjoy a family dinner post work.

Patrons’ fitness goals are taken care of too — there are spaces built for gyms and fitness zones, so one can get in a quick workout even on busy days, or start a morning off right with a rejuvenating yoga session at one of the social hubs.

Designer: Space Matrix

Design Team: Richard Baker, Jessica Wan

Photography: courtesy of Space Matrix

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