Creating An Optimal Coworking Space Floor Plan [Full Guide]

With the coworking market estimated to reach 35.63 billion by 2032, there has never been a better time to open a coworking space.

But before you create your coworking space floor plan, it’s crucial you understand the key elements of successful design.

This article will delve into everything to consider when designing the best possible coworking space floor plan.

Quick Summary

• A coworking space floor plan is crucial to ensuring optimal member productivity, happiness, and well-being.
• Consider the following when deciding on your coworking space floor plan: privacy, amenities, furniture, visuals, and members’ ability to collaborate.
• Your coworking space floor plan should include an open desk area, private offices, lounge areas, meeting spaces, and more, depending on your target members.

Why Is a Coworking Space Floor Plan Important?

Choosing an optimal floor plan is vital for the productivity of your members — and it impacts the success of your entire business model. A poorly designed floor plan can hinder collaboration, lead to poor concentration and impact worker health. That will affect your NPS (net promoter score) and cost you money.

Shared spaces are important, as they encourage social interactions and collaboration. Community spaces are particularly vital since 20% of remote workers report loneliness as a major challenge in their lives.

Furthermore, collaborative layouts have proven financial benefits — 50% of individuals starting a coworking space arrangement see increases in their income.

Things to Consider When Designing a Coworking Space

Creating a coworking space that meets the needs of diverse members requires a balanced approach to design. Each element plays a crucial role in how effectively the space serves its members, from encouraging focus to maximizing comfort.

Here are the key factors to consider when planning your coworking space layout:

Collaboration and Community

One study concluded that having environments with the potential to facilitate collaborations is crucial to the success of a coworking space. To create collaborative setups that inspire creativity, innovation, and professional growth, try incorporating the following:

• Large tables: These are essential for group projects and brainstorming sessions, allowing for the easy sharing of ideas and resources.
• Shared meeting spaces: Well-equipped meeting rooms that can be booked as needed encourage formal and informal team collaboration sessions.
• Open seating areas: Designed to facilitate spontaneous conversations and interactions, these areas can help form and strengthen professional networks.
• Event spaces: A versatile event space is invaluable for hosting workshops, talks, and social events, all of which enrich the community experience.
• Green spaces – sustainable coworking spaces are on the rise and attract many people interested in green initiatives.

Privacy

Despite the benefits of open spaces, privacy remains important for many professionals. Fifty-eight percent of office workers claim that having access to private work areas allows them to produce their best work.

To accommodate the need for privacy, include the following in your coworking space floor plan:

• Small offices: These are ideal for small companies or individuals that require concentration or confidentiality.
• Conference rooms: These spaces are crucial for teams to conduct private discussions without external disruptions.
• Phone booths: These small, enclosed spaces are perfect for private calls and video meetings.

Amenities

The right amenities can significantly enhance the attractiveness of a coworking space. These include the following:

• High-speed internet: This is a non-negotiable feature in today’s global, digital working era.
• 24-hour access: This allows members to work according to their own schedules.
• Cafe and bar areas: Members can unwind and socialize in these spaces.
• Wellness facilities: Gyms, yoga classes, and meditation rooms can improve member well-being.
• Functional amenities: Meeting rooms, printers, scanners, and personal lockers add everyday convenience for all members.
• Childcare: Some coworking spaces, like Big and Tiny, offer childcare for working parents.

Sizing and Space Distribution

The size of your coworking space should reflect the needs of your membership base. Coworking spaces typically range from 50 to 200 people and hold a combination of office spaces for small businesses and hot desks for individuals and freelancers. Depending on your goals, you may prefer to cater to one or the other or a mix of both.

The global average size of a coworking space is around 7,244 square feet, and it’s typical to see a space split of 70/30 or 50/50 between workspace and communal areas. This balance helps to meet your members’ collaborative and private needs.

Furniture

Your choice of furniture can greatly influence the functionality and atmosphere of your coworking space. In addition to sufficient working desks and chairs, consider incorporating:

• Couches and casual seating: These are great for relaxation and less formal work.
• Ergonomic office furniture: Standing desks and adjustable chairs can promote health and comfort.
• Large tables and desks: These facilitate collaboration and individual work, with ample space for equipment.

Visuals

The aesthetic of your coworking space can hugely impact employee satisfaction, well-being, and productivity. Visual elements to consider include:

• Interior design: Choose a theme that reflects your brand’s identity and appeals to your target audience.
• Lighting: Natural light sources are preferable, but they can be supplemented by artificial lighting that enhances focus and energy.

Check out Work Better to see how they do that really well.

Noise Management

Managing noise levels is crucial in a shared workspace. Strategies to consider include the following:

• Layout design: Strategically place noisy areas away from quiet zones.
• Soundproofing: Implement sound-absorbing materials in key areas, like phone booths or conference rooms.

6 Essentials Every Coworking Space Floor Plan Must Have

When designing a coworking space, ensuring every area contributes to the key goals of productivity, collaboration, and networking is essential.

Here are six essentials every coworking space floor plan should include to meet the diverse needs of its members:

Open Desk Space

Open desk space is at the heart of any coworking space. This layout caters primarily to freelancers, who constituted 37% of coworking space members in 2023.

Open desks encourage a flexible work style and enhance the interactions among members. You can even use software to facilitate coworking booking.

Private Offices

Small, private offices are essential for groups or individuals who require more privacy and a controlled environment to focus on their work. These spaces are ideal for small teams and professionals who frequently handle confidential information.

Meeting Rooms

Including versatile meeting spaces equipped with smart screens and other equipment helps facilitate team discussions and external client meetings. Smaller phone booths are also helpful for private calls and video conferences. For example, Codebase, a premium coworking space in Virginia, US, has very appealing meeting booths.

Lounge Areas

Lounge areas are informal spaces where members can relax, network, and socialize. They help build a sense of community within the coworking environment, making them essential for member satisfaction and retention.

Event Spaces

Incorporating a dedicated area for events, such as a bar or multipurpose room, allows for professional workshops, social gatherings, and networking events. This adds value to the membership and actively supports the community-building aspect of coworking spaces.

Amenities

Offering a range of amenities, such as a well-equipped kitchen, high-quality coffee and snacks, and wellness facilities, enhances the overall coworking experience and convenience for members. In one survey, members voted wellness amenities as the most desired amenity.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Own Coworking Space Floor Plan

Meet the needs of your coworking space members and maximize your space for return on investment with the following steps:

Evaluate the Space

Start by assessing the total square footage available to you. Consider the shape and limitations of the space, such as columns, windows, and exits.

Determine Your Target Audience

Know who your space will serve. Are your primary clients freelancers who might prefer open and flexible environments, or are they start-ups and companies that might need private offices and dedicated desks?

Define Distinct Areas

Segment the space into clearly defined areas based on your target users’ needs. Essential zones include an open desk space for hot desking, offices for start-ups and businesses, and meeting rooms for privacy.

Add common spaces like lounges and kitchens to encourage networking and relaxation.

Consider the Space’s Services and Amenities

Decide on the amenities and services that will enhance the coworking experience. Modern coworking spaces offer many innovative options, from high-speed internet and printing facilities to virtual mailboxes and fitness centers.

Avoid Possible Pitfalls

Plan the layout to minimize noise in focus areas by strategically placing noisy activities (like phone calls and meetings) away from quiet zones. Use design elements, such as soundproofing panels and the strategic placement of furniture, to help reduce distractions.

Examples of Coworking Space Floor Plans

To guarantee yourself success, it’s crucial to optimize your floor plan to be the ideal mix of functional and economically viable. Here’s how to structure different floor plans based on space sizes and member capacities:

Small Coworking Space Floor Plan

For spaces designed to accommodate between 50 and 100 members, a compact yet efficient design works best. Include a generous number of hot desks for freelancers and hybrid and remote workers who don’t require a traditional office space.

Also, add a few private meeting rooms and comfortable common areas for relaxation and informal interactions.

Medium Coworking Space Floor Plan

In medium-sized spaces that cater to 100 to 150 members, there is room for a bit more specialization in the use of space.

Along with hot desks, incorporate a few small private offices that can be rented out to small start-ups or remote teams. Plenty of meeting rooms and common areas for larger gatherings will accommodate the wide range of users in these spaces.

Large Coworking Space Floor Plan

Bigger spaces typically serve between 150 and 200 members, although some larger-scale operations hold up to 8,000 seats.

Large coworking space floor plans should include a mix of hot desks, multiple private offices for different team sizes, several meeting rooms, and dedicated event spaces. Include areas for socialization and networking, such as bars or “chill zones.”

How to Do a Coworking Space Floor Plan Redesign

Redesigning a coworking space can be important if you want to improve your space in terms of functionality, profitability, and member satisfaction. Use the following process to do this effectively:

Collect Data

Begin by assessing how frequently members use the different areas in the space. With one-third of Americans having 4-12 hours’ worth of meetings a week, ensure you have enough meeting spaces to match demand.

Check if event spaces are fully booked or underutilized, and identify any furnishings or equipment that are outdated or in need of repair. This information will help you pinpoint areas for improvement.

Gather Member Feedback

Engage with your members to understand their preferences and concerns. Ask them to identify their favorite areas, determine whether the social spaces are functional, and find out if the noise levels are bothersome. You can do this by sending out a survey or speaking to members individually.

Plan the Redesign

Use the data and feedback you get to reorganize the space more effectively. This might involve rearranging the layout of desks and meeting rooms, maximizing the amount of natural light to create a more inviting atmosphere, improving sound insulation, and improving accessibility.

Implement Continuous Improvement Strategies

Deploy tracking tools like heatmaps to analyze which areas of your coworking space are frequented most often. Monitor the types of desks and other furniture that are the most used, too. Given that ergonomic furniture can improve productivity by 25%, consider investing in equipment like adjustable chairs to increase member satisfaction and workspace efficiency.

OfficeRnD Flex is a coworking space management software that can help you manage spaces with ease.

Manage Your Coworking Space with OfficeRnD Flex

Using the right technology to manage and constantly optimize your space based on data is important for success in the crowded flex space industry.

OfficeRnD Flex is a customizable and highly integretable coworking software that helps you keep members happy and automate the rest.

With it, you can:

• Automate billing and invoicing
• Easily allow members to book meeting rooms
• Analyze your space usage and make informed business decisions
• Manage multiple locations.
• And much more

Book a live demo to see how OfficeRnD Flex can help you take your flex space to a new level. You can also see what others using OfficeRnD Flex have to say here.

FAQ

How Do You Plan a Coworking Space?

To effectively plan a coworking space, evaluate the size and layout possibilities, including any architectural limitations. Design distinct areas for hot desking, private offices, and communal activities. Include essential amenities and consider noise management to help members focus.

What Is the Layout of a Coworking Space?

A coworking space layout typically includes a mix of open desk areas, private offices, meeting rooms, and communal spaces. The proportions may differ depending on your member demographic and their needs.

The design should also consider traffic flow and accessibility to ensure functionality and comfort.

What Are the Design Standards for a Coworking Space?

The design standards for a coworking space prioritize functionality, comfort, and aesthetics to facilitate a productive environment. They include ergonomic furniture, efficient space utilization, sound management, adequate lighting (preferably natural), and high-speed internet access.

The design should also consider member needs, accessibility, and wellness facilities.

What is the Average Size of a Coworking Space?

The average size of a coworking space can vary widely depending on location and target clientele, but typically ranges from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet. These spaces are designed to accommodate a variety of work areas, including open desks, private offices, meeting rooms, and communal lounges, allowing for flexibility in membership and workspace options to cater to different professional needs. Larger urban areas might feature more expansive coworking facilities, while smaller or more suburban locations could offer more compact setups.