The Challenge
We were engaged in the early stages of a newly opened co-working space within a larger mixed-use estate in East London. The space had originally been designed as a marketing suite before being adapted into a co-working environment.
At the time, the leadership team overseeing the space brought deep expertise in development and leasing. Membership structures, customer experience, and community strategy were therefore shaped primarily through a commercial and marketing lens. While the space itself was architecturally strong and well located, the next opportunity lay in clarifying a shared community vision and enhancing the ecosystem required to support long-term tenant success.
The challenge was to translate the developer’s objectives into a live, operational environment that could both support the leasing strategy and function as a thriving co-working space. The goal was to attract a vibrant community of small businesses, freelancers, and creative professionals, while aligning with and reinforcing the wider development strategy for the estate.
Our Approach
We began by listening closely and gaining a deep understanding of the priorities of both the developer and the leasing team. This included:
Clarifying the objectives of the space beyond footfall, tenant visits, and surface-level metrics
Assessing the potential of the space to support a like-minded professional community
Redesigning membership plans to reflect the real-world needs of freelancers, small businesses, and creative professionals
Reconsidering how people work and connect in a post-pandemic context
We then implemented a series of strategic enhancements to both the space and the member experience:
Adjusted membership structures to encourage long-term engagement and retention
Introduced curated programming and events to foster collaboration, visibility, and professional growth
Refined the end-to-end customer journey to ensure members felt welcomed, supported, and valued
Created a cohesive brand experience that aligned with the estate’s wider positioning and objectives
Throughout the process, we carefully balanced developer priorities — including leasing support, visibility, and estate storytelling — with community-building principles such as connection, inclusivity, wellbeing, and business growth.
The Outcome
Over time, the space evolved into a vibrant, high-engagement co-working environment:
Members benefited from a welcoming, well-curated space that actively encouraged collaboration and creativity
Small businesses and freelancers gained access to a supportive ecosystem, enabling them to grow while connecting with peers across complementary sectors
The developer and leasing teams benefited from a strategically aligned asset that supported leasing conversations and enhanced the overall perception of the estate
Several members have since gone on to notable achievements across sports, fashion, and the creative industries, demonstrating the long-term value of investing in a well-activated, community-led co-working environment.
This case study illustrates how strategic placemaking, customer experience design, and thoughtful activation can transform a space from a purely commercial function into a high-performing, people-centred environment that delivers measurable value for both tenants and asset owners.
Key Takeaways for Developers, Asset Managers & Operators
Strong design alone is not sufficient without a clear operational and community strategy
Developer-led objectives can be successfully integrated with community-building principles
Optimising membership models, programming, and the customer journey drives engagement, retention, and asset value
Agility in responding to external challenges — such as economic shifts — can unlock new strategic opportunities
Strategic placemaking translates vision into tangible, measurable outcomes
