Founded in New York in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey, WeWork now has more than 500 locations in nearly 100 cities around the globe, expanding with new brands including Powered by We (customized workspaces), Rise by We (wellness club), We Live (flexible, community living spaces), and elementary school concept WeGrow. Creative director Devin Vermeulen, with past lives as a DJ, photographer, architect, and store designer for Brooklyn Industries, has been with WeWork since its scrappy inception. He described to attendees the brand’s rapid expansion, propelled by the alluring, inclusive We Generation.
The benefits of working with others
Coworking was a relatively new concept when WeWork launched in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. “We realized we were competing with people who were working at home, and home was free, it was comfortable, it was cozy,” he says. Branded as a platform for creators, WeWork offered something intangible that made leaving one’s own kitchen table worthwhile: working alongside a like-minded community. Feeding off that energy to find new inspiration remains invaluable, he says.
A true community hub
An important part of the coworking empire is to improve life for its members. After WeWork installed a beer keg in one office, a commuter was finally able to hang out with colleagues for happy hour instead of rushing off to catch a train. Other WeWork amenities like a pool, theater, and game room are resources some small companies would otherwise forego. “A lot of what we’re doing is rooted in this idea of culture,” he says, adding that they are trying to humanize the world one office at a time.
Emotion before design
WeWork champions an “age-nostic” mindset where members are united by a commitment to more passionate, meaningful work. Like hospitality, anticipating what guests need before they do is at the core of WeWork’s philosophy. “Everything is rooted in psychological experience.” WeWork creates a home that functions as an office with a “gradient of spaces.” Lounges, for instance, are bustling hangouts where people chat and eat together over loud music. By contrast, the quiet room calls to mind college libraries with naps unfolding in bean bag hammocks.
Photography by Katelyn Perry, Myke & Teri Photography, VRX Studios and courtesy of WeWork
