Coworking in Belgium

The term 'coworking' very fashionable, is used in all the sauces, particularly to describe a simple shared office in a business center. Such spaces number in the tens. The "real" coworking spaces against by offering a service and entertainment are more rare, although also booming.
Until Anglicism "coworking" is the subject of a definition, the subject of various interpretations.

For some, coworking, it's just when professionals from different backgrounds share an office and other facilities such as a cafeteria. This is the minimalist approach. For purists and / or pioneers of "coworking", this new form of work does not, however, a shared office.


"A coworking space involves a series of services, particularly an animation that facilitates contacts between individuals who share a number of values. Depending on the personality or background of its founder, coworking space each has its specific effect, rather they are sectoral (eg,
BetaGroup focused primarily on web developers) or in terms of age (le Loft Forest attracts mostly forties). In addition, real coworking spaces are aimed at individuals and not to companies and offer very flexible payment plans depending on the time 'consumed'.

Another major feature of coworking spaces in the strict sense, it is the close integration with social networks. Offices and virtual merge. "The coworking is a desk in the cloud. "But with real tables and chairs, real coffee and characters of flesh and real people.


Because of this mixture of genres, it is not easy to make an inventory of the number of coworking spaces in Belgium. "We count between 15 and 20 'real' coworking centers in Belgium. Doubling in just one year.
In Europe, there are about 800 in the world, about 2,000. These figures are already impressive for a relatively new phenomenon. "

Besides the role of pioneers like
The HUB Brussels, coworking has been boosted in recent months by the initiatives supported by the government Bar d’Office in Flanders (7 centers and more than 200 limbs) or in various cities in Wallonia initiative Creative Wallonia.

 

 

 

The example of Creative Wallonia

A co-working space is a hosting, working and meeting place for entrepreneurs who are carriers of projects and ideas and wish to share them with others; this place is powered by a specific animation intended to create links inside and outside of the community of co-workers.

In a co-working space, the room and equipment layout, as well as the specific animation model installed, are studied in order to encourage meeting, collaborating, discussing and working to target project processing. There is a relaxed, informal atmosphere that releases creativity and favors project development.

Moreover, co-working offers maximum flexibility: visiting the area is completely à la carte, according to proper needs, for one day, a few hours per month, on regular basis or even unrestrictedly. The lump sums are on monthly base and without engagement (no tenancy). Furthermore, for a reasonable price you have access to equipment (workstation in an open area, meeting rooms, ...) and events organized in the co-working space.

Through co-working, collaboration between actors (forming a real "community") is encouraged and in this way an innovating ecosystem is generated on the local level.

This is how the development of 8 co-working spaces in Wallonia was initiated by the CREATIVE WALLONIA program, which has the ambition, in line with the Marshall Plan and its 2.Vert declination, to involve the largest possible number of Walloon citizens in an innovative dynamism, necessary for Wallonia's economic success.

Who is involved?

This is for all Walloon entrepreneurs wishing to share a work area to boost their activity.

More precisely?

Where to find the 8 CREATIVE WALLONIA "labeled" co-working spaces in Wallonia?

Contact and information

Lisa Lombardi

Expert in charge of co-working at the Walloon Telecommunication Agency (AWT = Agence Wallonne des Télécommunications).

Avenue Prince de Liège 133

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