Holistic co-working: WeWork Singapore is attentive to culture and lighting
WeWork Singapore opens – a 21-storey flagship co-working space and the company’s second-largest globally
WeWork Singapore, which opened in September 2022, is the latest flagship opening from the fast-growing co-working enterprise. First launched in New York in 2010, the company now has 800 rentable co-working office spaces worldwide, with a presence in every continent (if we omit the frozen land mass of Antarctica).
WeWork Singapore's new inner-city spaces
The new site is set at 21 Collyer Quay, at the heart of Singapore's Central Business District and is the second largest WeWork space internationally.
Aiming to create a flow between the interior and public spaces, the design incorporates details in artwork and greenery. At the community bar, a two-sided painting by Joanna Pang was commissioned to sit facing both the indoor space and the street, while a third-floor serenity and wellness area incorporates plants into its lobby, mediating transitions between work and relaxation.
In creating the co-working spaces, the designers were on a mission to build a social hub and collaborative breeding ground for WeWork's members. Through thoughtful lighting placement and visual and spatial cues to alternate floors, the design for the building is open, allowing for ease of movement and the feel of a ‘vertical social village’.
Lighting subtly directs users around the building, and towards visual focal points in artwork and Singaporean cultural references. A mural by Kristal Melson, Untitled Mural, references the ‘garden in the sky’ cityscape, and is echoed throughout, while refurbished antique Peranakan tiles line staircases, bringing new life to history and reflecting on regional heritage.
Commenting on the tone of the spaces, Franquibel Lima, VP and global head of design studios at WeWork, explained how the ‘design team blurs the line between hospitality and workspace, while striking a balance between functional, flexible and thoughtful design’. The offices provide for an array of professional lifestyles; quiet corners, dynamic collaborative spaces and focused work areas are all accessible to WeWork members, with a variety of rentable areas of different scales and flexibility.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Martha Elliott is the Junior Digital News Editor at Wallpaper*. After graduating from university she worked in arts-based behavioural therapy, then embarked on a career in journalism, joining Wallpaper* at the start of 2022. She reports on art, design and architecture, as well as covering regular news stories across all channels.
-
Art, culture, watches & jewellery editor Hannah Silver’s gift guide
From a Beryl Cook cushion to an offbeat diamond ring, there's something for everyone on this Wallpaper* editor's gift guide, embracing art, culture and style
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Feldspar makes its mark on Mayfair with a festive pop-up at Corinthia Hotel
Devon-based bone china brand Feldspar makes its first foray into shopkeeping with a pop-up at London’s Corinthia Hotel. Ali Morris speaks with the founders and peeks inside
By Ali Morris Published
-
Dip into Wyld sauna: Liverpool's floating Finnish-style destination for lovers of extreme heat
Wyld sauna has opened in Liverpool, offering the perfect excuse to take a dive into the Nordic wellness tradition
By Emma O'Kelly Published
-
Nathan Yong's stainless steel designs investigate art, industrial design, and social dysfunction
‘A chair becomes inviting and chilling at the same time': Nathan Yong on his stainless steel tubular designs for his showcase at Art Commune Gallery, Singapore
By Daven Wu Published
-
Singapore Design Week 2024: what to see at one of Asia’s premier design festivals
Singapore Design Week 2024 (26 September to 6 October) brings a vibrant roster of artists and galleries ‘who shape our society through design… and enhance how we experience life’
By Daven Wu Published
-
Urban Fabric design exhibition spotlights new designers from Asia
Yoko Choy introduces Urban Fabric, a commissioned series for Dubai’s Gallery Collectional (on view until 31 March 2024), showcasing varying designs of contemporary craftsmanship from artists across China, Japan, Singapore and South Korea
By Jasper Spires Published
-
New M&C Saatchi Berlin office interiors embrace bold colour
Llot Llov’s M&C Saatchi Berlin office interiors bring a shot of colour to their brutalist setting
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Singapore Design Week 2023 prioritises sustainability and inclusivity
Singapore Design Week 2023 (until 1 October) explores the theme ‘Better By Design’ with exhibitions at the National Design Center and across the city
By Laura May Todd Published
-
Art, artefacts and Armani Casa: step into our Made in Italy showcase
In this photographic series, we combine Armani Casa’s timeless furniture collections with Italian art and rare artefacts to tell the story of Made in Italy craftsmanship
By Nick Vinson Published
-
Playful design codes rule in this London Victorian family home
2LG Studio embraces colour and comfort in an extensive renovation of a Victorian family home
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Design at the White House: the creatives working with US Presidents past and present
Interior designers, fashion designers and artists, whose collaborators have included the White House and its residents, with commissions that range from interior refits to presidential portraits
By Pei-Ru Keh Published