Have you noticed how nomadic we’re becoming? Computers have invaded cafés, restaurants and hotels. Some are willing to share a good wifi connection, but many prefer to turn up the music to scare away those workers with no fixed workplace. And still others erect temples of paid connection, by which I mean all those coworking offers that are, it has to be said, expensive!
LET’S (REALLY) COWORK
At least, that’s what I told myself when I was looking for a nice, friendly place with an internet connection (that I didn’t want to pay for), and realized that the future of coworking was to be free. Do you really want to pay for an internet connection? Especially with 4G and soon 5G, a WIFI connection just doesn’t make sense anymore.
The best I could find in the area where I lived at the time was a Prêt A Manger, which wasn’t the most suitable place, but which at least had the merit of allowing me to work in peace and quiet, with a good Internet connection and a friendly atmosphere that you can only find in food shops (bar, restaurant, foyer, etc.). But I was nevertheless frustrated that I couldn’t find this type of space more easily, and especially spaces that were more professional than a place for eating.
Without denying my past (I cut my teeth at BNPP RE and Nextdoor, which has since become Wojo), I think we’re in the midst of a real revolution in the way we work. More and more of us are freelancers, companies are working in project or agile mode, and are starting to get serious about telecommuting, moving into flexoffice mode, or having teams seconded to the four corners of the country. In short, in this context, we need real workplaces that are neither a noisy café nor an aseptic paid coworking space. And we need these kinds of new-generation spaces everywhere, not just in Paris!
HOW ABOUT OPENING UP THE FIRST FLOORS OF OFFICE BUILDINGS?
This is what motivated Ludovic Célérier and Xavier Thomas to create Hiptown, a unique workplace! Places that reflect this free, nomadic and uninhibited state of mind, both hip and professional, where you can work wherever you want, whenever you want.
With Hiptown, we’re not looking to develop a brand. Our ambition is to provide real services and be useful to lessors. So we adapt. And we develop services to suit every need. Offices not rented? We’ll take care of it! Would a catering space bring in more traffic? We set it up! Can a workroom be transformed into an event space? Let’s get started! What about coliving? What about sports halls? It’s all possible, as long as it’s relevant to the landlords, to the potential customers and users of the premises, and to the building’s catchment area. Hiptown manages and operates all building services on behalf of the owners.
WORK IS THE NEW BLACK
Above all, what we propose is to open up these office buildings to the outside world. How many office lobbies are as big as they are empty, making you want to stand up rather than sit down on designer sofas in spartan comfort? With Hiptown, we’re proposing the creation of catering areas with free Wi-Fi access, of course! where anyone can come and consume and settle down with a computer.
Because what could be more austere than an office building that keeps to itself? By opening up their workspaces and services to the outside world, office buildings become part of the life of the neighborhood, part of an ecosystem, part of an environment. Because these buildings can be much more than just places to work, they’re places to live in their own right! And that’s how we contribute to greater well-being in the workplace.
What could be more austere than an office building that offers nothing but offices? Today, what we need at work is more fun! The quality of workspaces has a role to play in this, by creating spaces for relaxation, conviviality and social interaction. As we know today, social ties are one of the main drivers of well-being in the workplace. In the long term, I even think that with the development of telecommuting, office buildings will no longer be places of production, but places for team-building (meetings, training, etc.), socializing, recharging your electric car, receiving your parcel, and so on.
So with Hiptown, we feel much closer to third places than to coworking. Let’s say we’re creating living spaces! These are innovative spaces that are neither workplaces nor homes, but a fine blend of the two, where social relationships are forged and allow the place to come alive.
We’re convinced that the future of real estate lies in community building! So, would you like to join us?
