On Thursday evening, the country's first specialized co-working center (hub) opened its doors at the Unideco home decoration center in Vilnius. The new space, which will house architectural designers and architects, is the smallest co-working center, but its managers do not rule out expansion opportunities. The shopping center's managers and project authors invited guests who gathered for the festive opening event to change their usual workplace and start the summer differently.
During the event, Audrius Mockus, the head of the company "Šklėriai" that manages the shopping center, and other members of the administration gave a welcoming speech, and there was live music and jazz improvisations by the performer Kotryna Juodzevičiūtė.
The co-working center, which has no analogues in Lithuania, is 33 sq. m. in area and accommodates just six workstations. Nearby, there are 150 sq. m. of multifunctional spaces, suitable for relaxation and transformed into an event area with all the necessary conference equipment.
According to the company's manager, this experimental project aims to find out the demand for a co-working center for professionals and the expectations of employees. "A co-working space of this size is not economically viable - after all, profit comes when a sufficient number of users use one common space and its amenities. But we believe that we will not be the smallest for long. Once we know all the pros and cons, we will be able to develop this idea," A. Mockus says about further prospects.
The main idea of the new project is to bring together interior design professionals, shopping mall-based salons and clients under one roof. A person who is furnishing or renovating their home, when visiting Unideco, will meet their interior designer, together draw up installation plans and immediately inspect the proposed finishing materials or interior details. In the opinion of the project authors, such a model will guarantee efficient work and optimal time allocation.
"One of the biggest challenges was designing a separate area in a small space where people could work comfortably. Together with the clients, we chose the solution of building a glass cube, which allowed us to not overload the space and provided privacy for the designers working inside," says interior designer Karolina Jurgulytė, who designed the modern, restrained interior.
Although the project was recently announced, many requests have been received from both novice and experienced designers for a workplace in the co-working center. The first to settle there was K. Jurgulytė. The specialist names one of the biggest advantages of a workplace in a home and decoration center, where there are many salons offering home goods: “It’s fun to invite a client here, chat in the “chill” zone or look around and find the right product or solution for their home. There are also practical workplaces, a printer, personal lockers, and special cards with which you can enter the co-working center or make delicious coffee.”
The designer says that the new workplace was quite unexpected for clients, but attractive for its convenience. She also notes positive reactions from colleagues, which she says confirm that there is a great need for such specialized spaces in Lithuania today.
Unideco Marketing Manager Viktorija Urbelytė is pleased that the shopping center is home to a community of professionals and that behind the glass partitions of the co-working space there is a large area that can be transformed into a space for events, meetings, presentations or various seminars. It regularly hosts free seminars for specialists or clients who are moving into their homes and events.
Architects and designers can apply for membership in the new co-working space at the Unideco shopping center in Vilnius. Meanwhile, visitors can find everything they need for home furnishing here – more than 33 different flooring, door, lighting, bathroom equipment, interior details and furniture showrooms, specialists presenting the latest trends, and free interior design consultations.
