Pop-up offices

In shuttering retail spaces across the world, people are coming to – of all things – work.

In 2009 there were 310 co-working spaces worldwide; by the end of 2019 there are predicted to be 22,400. Technological leaps mean employees no longer need to be physically present to be effective – they can work anywhere. Convenience is key: you can now pay a monthly subscription for a shared space, rent a desk in a station or a sound-proof meeting pod at an airport. Next up: malls?

The e-commerce explosion has forced some traders out of shopping centres. The US in particular has a glut of retail space due to shuttering malls. Pop-up shops have emerged as a result, with businesses taking leases ranging from days to a few months to showcase products or hit holiday spending. But malls are also a good option for co-working space providers: they come with food options, toilet facilities and parking. There can be benefits for neighbouring retailers too, if co-working spaces drive more foot traffic.

In New Jersey’s Short Hills mall, flexible workspace provider Industrious is taking over an area vacated by luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue to provide a mixture of co-working desks and private offices. Last year, it agreed to a deal with mall-operator Macerich to create co-working spaces at properties across the United States. Similar tie-ups are happening globally, too: Cre8 workspace sits above a major mall in Jakarta, while the Kazakh capital, Astana, boasts a large mall-based co-working facility called Multispace.

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Image credit: Piero Zagami and Michela Nicchiotti.