Geared towards the creative individual, DOCSPACE is a coworking production hub for freelancers located in downtown Eugene, Oregon.

 

As a start to this project, I assessed the concept of the popular trend of coworking. So what is Coworking? Co-working is described as a style of work that involves a shared working environment, often an office, and independent activity. Unlike in a typical office environment, those coworking are usually not employed by the same organization. Simply, a combined group of unique individuals from different backgrounds all working under one roof.

 

RESEARCH | Initial research began looking at various precedents of coworking hubs throughout the country and overseas. Since 2005, coworking spaces have increased in numbers over the past decade from one to roughly more than 700 (http://www.inc.com/adam-vaccaro/coworking-space-growth.html) in the United States and is still continuing to grow.

Continued research on coworking led me to an article in the New York Times about this trend in office design, “People aren’t going back to the office for the office, They’re going back to the office to be around people again.”[1] Among the people in this type of workforce, social interaction is an overall heightened effort in a coworking environment. Inquiring to peers about the ideas and experiences of coworking, I was satisfied to receive unique responses. Many stories shared were positive in the fact that these individuals were constantly with other individuals who share the same interests and passions. On this note, this condenses to the issue of social interaction and how people relate to one another.  Projects are stronger when we can ask opinions to see what is better or worse; compared to when working at home alone, there is no one to bounce ideas off or talk to about the positive or negative.

 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE | Over the course of this project several avenues sparked my interest in coworking, but the most relevant was mostly from my own past experiences working as a freelance designer and illustrator during the summer after graduating from my undergraduate degree in 2012. For a destination to work, I had three options: my parent’s house, the two Starbucks coffee shops somewhat close to my parent’s house, or the public library, which was rather a fair distance away. All three destinations were suitable for what I was doing because I worked with what I had. However when the time came for projects  “off” the computer, I had to plan my schedule accordingly to when I needed a computer scanner, a large clear workspace, and access to pens, paper, and sometimes paint. The proposed locations worked for the time being, but the detail that was missing at these places was the essence of people sharing my similar motives. Of course my mother and father were around at home after the normal work day, and the barista at Starbucks recommended the seasons newest drink, but it was the atmosphere of creative, quirky individuals that I missed working with from past school studio environments.

 

 

USERS | DOCSPACE is intended to attract a variety of creative individuals ideally ranging from graphic designers, web and gaming designers, entrepreneurs, small startups, writers, crafters, and even more. DOCSPACE is inclined to focus on providing a destination for creative people to work in a supportive and collaborative environment. An ideal or suggested DOCSPACE user may include an Etsy seller. For those of you who do not know, Etsy is an online market place where people around the world connect to buy and sell unique goods.  This member would be able to utilize DOCSPACE’s crafty amenities; they would be able to create, produce, and market their products all under one roof. Additionally, the Eugene Community is an obvious user or group DOCSPACE intends to include as well; mostly through creative workshops, classes, and lectures due to its downtown location.

THE BUILDING | The Schaefers Building at 1025 Willamette Street, Eugene, Oregon, is the site for DOCSPACE; the structure is situated on the corner of West 10th Ave and Willamette Street in the heart of Downtown Eugene. This building was chosen because of its’ convenient location in a vibrant and revitalized part of downtown. Newly opened shops and restaurants have made this area a recent travel destination and is said to be morphing in to a “Little Portland”. Surrounding the site is the iconic McDonald Theater, Eugene Public Library, and is directly adjacent to the Lane Transit Bus Station across the street.  A downtown location works well for the program of DOCSPACE mostly because it is in close proximity to the main transit line, various shops, businesses, and services. Willamette Street is a highly well-traveled street as well that provides opportunities for on lookers to come in and check out what DOCSPACE offers.  

Designed by architect Truman Phillips, the Schaefer’s Building was built and completed by the Stein Brothers in 1929. In the past the building once housed a theatre, government offices, retail and department stores, and was the original Lane transit district bus depot before it moved across the street. A little fun fact, one of the most intriguing design integrations about the building is that the third floor was reconfigured into a bowling alley in the 50’s, I believe. The 48,000 square foot, four story building is roughly 160 feet by 80 feet long and consists of a 12,000 square feet foot plate. Structurally, the building consists of a standard wood column grid system, and masonry walls. No floors are open with mezzanines or atriums currently. The first floor consists of all floor-to-ceiling fenestration on the exposed north and west sides of the building. The building is divided into 5 bays (running east to west) by 11 bays (running from north to south); exteriorly the bays are divided with brown brick columns and decorative pilasters. A parking garage just east of the building conveniently connects to the third floor I find helpful for the tenants especially when it is raining. Exteriorly, this building highly reflects the architectural details of the Art Deco period of the late 1920s, early 1930s. Without a doubt, the building’s most dominate architectural feature is its repetitive chevron motifs that cascade down each column and pilasters on the north and west facades. Geometric shapes of zigzags surround the cornice beautifully that is then combined with fluid lines to complete the ornate molding on these facades.

On a personal connection, when passing the Schaefer’s building, it certainly can catch anyone’s eye instantly. I am not sure if its intricate characteristics or scale in size but, learning about the building and its past has provided me with a stronger connection. What first stood out to me about this building is its’ gorgeous Art Deco architectural motifs displayed on the north and west façades. Overall and in general “little details” like this to me reflect the “little things in life” and how we are to appreciate those instances because of their delicacy. I believe Schaefer’s Building works well for DOCSPACE, mostly, because its innovative users will have a creative outlook on things and will have a high appreciation to detail. Because of its large interior footprint and open floor plan as well, numerous possible opportunities were presented for various program configurations. With its decorative shell, the building offers a unique experience on the exterior, yet its decoration is continued and reflected internally seen through its windows and existing walls.
 

​PARTI | The concept or parti behind DOCSPACE is with the idea of wrapping, this concept is intended to persuade the notion of threshold and individuality as well as when one travels through the building. Throughout DOCSPACE there are these “wraps” or bands of color that indicate various areas and rooms. Through the main parti digram this wrap persuades the idea of visual connection from the exterior to the interior that surrounds the building on the north and west facades. The program was roughly divided into areas and spaces rather than enclosed rooms to push the notion of traveling through the space uninterrupted. Bright colors integrated into wrapped soffits designate a “room within a room aspect” rather than through a door. Threshold is then established through these wraps.
FUNCTION | The building is organized in the sense of a gradient of performance and activity. Where the first floor is highly active where members and visitors have full access to various parts of the floor, but as you continue up to the second and third floors the activities are intended to calm down.  After leaving the first floor and ascend towards the second floor, the second floor offers an overall open plan where members are not constrained by walls and members have a choice to occupy anywhere, kind of providing a “free for all” notion. Finally continuing up to the final and third level, the essence of individuality is present where members are able to inhabit a personalized workstation privately or openly. Along with this gradient of performance,  to promote wayfinding and spatial awareness throughout DOCSPACE is divided into three colors. 

IMPORTANCE OF COLOR | Overall the materials and furnishes chosen for DOCSPACE are kept to a natural character of medium toned woods, grays and bursts of color on all three levels. The ground floor off Willamette and 10th Avenue welcomes members with a joyful sense of a pastel canary yellow to inspire creativeness and a happy atmosphere. Moving upward to the second level the vibrant color of coral or how the Benjamin Moore paint swatch suggests tooty fruity will stimulate member’s artistic flow and encourage collaboration; ending on the third floor, members will be exposed to a calming seafoam green for a relaxing, tranquil, and quiet work atmosphere. 

DOCSPACE pushes the envelope of a coworking environment with the variety of available amenities that it has to offer to its members. These focus areas include the entry off Willamette street, the dedicated and free space production studios, the second floor work lounges, and the third floor open, private, and start-up offices.

FOCUS AREAS | The first focus area includes the entry which extends into the comfortable lounge for visiting clients and guests. A welcoming desk wrapped with a wire mesh application, and natural reclaimed wood is one of the primary elements anyone will see when first entering into DOCSPACE. The detail shown is a storage cabinet to house the availability board number systems which is directly located behind the welcome desk and other miscellaneous belongings. The board displays the availability of the various conference rooms, event space, available private offices, and open workstations throughout DOCSPACE through a number system of wooden blocks.

A production studio located on the first floor near the windows off 10th Avenue is another area of focus; here tenants will have access to a variety of tools ranging from a laser cutting machines, large open workstations, a clean-up station, and storage to fulfil any crafty project that comes to mind. A cut, printing station, and a photography studio are also present to assist members for presentation, marketing, and documentation needs.  One of the details displayed is a multifaceted pin-up board. As there is a lack of walls throughout DOCSPACE the board system was integrated near the production and collaboration spaces on the first floor. Moving sliding panels are layered with a chalkboard surface for quick impromptu sketches and doodles. Behind the panels is a stationary bulletin board for critique and a gallery extension.

Additionally another area of focus are the dedicated workstations for members located on the third floor. This area is situated on the quiet and calmer floor where a majority of the individual private and start-up offices are located. DOCSPACE will satisfy that fulfilment of professionalism through ownership of a dedicated desk surface and location. With a designated spot, members of DOCSPACE will be able to give out an instituted “residence” of a desk or space they now “own” (which will be rented out). These members can then be taken seriously as a professional for client meetings, and presentations because they have taken steps to be more established as a working professional.

WRAPPING IT UP | Overall promoting the ideas of collaborative thinking, and bringing individuals from various backgrounds together will further enhance a positive work experience.  I feel this quote found in the book: Escaping the Coffee shop sums up the act of coworking, 

“Anyone can locate a desk and a free internet connection, but coworking provides more. It allows independent professionals to participate in a global community that is part support system, part educational network, and part creative think tank. Coworking recognizes that freelancers are social creatures that can accomplish more together than we can alone”.[2]
WORKS CITED
[1] Williams, Alex. Working Alone, Together. New York Times. 3 May 2013. Web 7 Dec. 2013.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/fashion/solo-workers-bond-at-shared-workspaces.html?_r=0>
[2] Buczynski, Beth and Angel Kwiatkowski.  Coworking: How Freelancers Escape the Coffee Shop Office and Tales of Community from Independents Around the World. Ebook. Copyright 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. <http://coherecommunity.com/images/coworking_preview.pdf> PDF