Open since the beginning of January 2019 and officially inaugurated on 21 March, the size of the Spaces La Défense centre symbolises the lofty ambitions of both the coworking brand and its parent company, the International Workplace Group (IWG). With a surface area of 18,000 sq m - including 2,000 sq m dedicated to the business club - 1,575 workstations and 10 meeting rooms, the centre has established itself as a one of the world's largest shared workspaces in the world. This scale has not prevented the world's leading business centre from filling up in just four months. "Such speed has never been seen before in our history.says Christophe Burckart, Managing Director of IWG France. The occupancy rate even exceeds 100 %."
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The result of the metamorphosis of the Belvédère building, which formerly housed the offices of KPMG, Spaces La Défense has been redesigned in a contemporary style by the architects Axel Schoenert and is part of the the development of the Paris business district. Firstly, because of its location on the Cours Valmy, next to the Grande Arche, the new epicentre of the district since its expansion towards La Défense Arena. But above all, this flexible workplace reinforces the business district's openness to the new economy and start-ups. At Spaces La Défense, small businesses and independent professionals work alongside teams from major players in the business district, such as Technip and Société Générale.
"When the first coworking spaces opened, there was a fair amount of scepticism. Many saw the area as reserved for the CAC 40, to large companiessays Marie-Célie Guillaume, Managing Director of Paris La Défense. Now, here as in all the world's major cities, coworking is developing enormously. It allows the district to welcome start-ups with new ideas. At the same time, large companies have places where their employees can meet other professionals. These spaces are representative of a very profound change."
The current phenomenon of the emergence of coworking and flexible working is not confined to the capital and its suburbs. While Spaces currently has ten centres in the Paris region, the brand created in 2006 by Martijn Roordink, which became part of IWG in 2014, is going to expand in the rest of France. major regional cities. New stores are scheduled to open this year in Lille, Bordeaux and Nice, in addition to a very advanced project in Lyon.
This development is part of a very strong growth phase for IWG. "Of our 3,400 sites worldwide, 1,500 have opened. in the last four years, remarks Christophe Burckart. Between 1992, the year we arrived in France, and 2014, we opened one or two sites a year. Since then, we have opened a new location every three weeks."This rate, which is already very high, should be even higher in the future with the opening of the Regus brand to franchising. "We currently have 120 sites in 64 towns and cities in France, and estimate that the potential is at least 600."says the Managing Director of Spaces France. To accelerate network expansionIWG will begin recruiting franchisees capable of opening between ten and twenty sites in their territory, enabling Regus to establish itself in secondary and tertiary towns.
Another facet of the IWG Group's development is the roll-out of new banners in France. "A market that is becoming increasingly mature is segmenting, hence a multi-brand approach to meet different needs"says IWG's Director for France. Alongside Regus and Spaces centres and Regus Express, deployed in or near stationsIn France, IWG can count on HQ, whose offering is similar to that of Regus, but with centres located in less central locations, and therefore at more affordable prices. 18 HQ centres are expected to open in France this year, notably in Paris, Lyon, Nice and Marseille. At the same time, Signature will be offering a very upmarket range. "It is the six-star business centre"explains Christophe Burckart. Developed in global destinations and iconic buildings such as the Chrysler Building in New York and St Mary Axe in London, the Signature brand will set up shop in Paris at Place Vendôme and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in a private mansion next to the Elysée Palace.
"Our idea is to continue to develop brands and establish them in France to tap into new customer segments."explains Christophe Burckart. IWG can also count on N°18, a Swedish coworking brand that recently joined the group. "We're on a model similar to Spaces, but in an atmosphere more akin to English clubs with leather sofas, fireplaces, wood and works of art"says IWG's Director for France. A chic, cosy version of coworking.
