As the trend for hybrid working accelerates, coworking centres are thriving in Paris, Copenhagen and Brighton.

According to IWG CEO Mark Dixon, the realisation of the 15-Minute City will be “one of the most dramatic and long-lasting legacies of the pandemic”. Developed by Professor Carlos Moreno at the Sorbonne in Paris, this concept is already improving quality of life throughout the world.

The idea is to create communities where everything a resident needs can be reached within a quarter of an hour on foot or by bike. It requires minimal travel among housing, offices, restaurants, parks, hospitals and cultural venues, inspiring closer, more meaningful connections between people and the places they live in.

Flexible workspaces are key to turning the ideal into a reality, allowing workers to split their time between traditional corporate HQs and locations closer to home – thus reducing time spent commuting and improving their work-life balance, at the same time as cutting their carbon footprint and saving them money.

But which European cities are leading the way when it comes to meeting the rising demand for flexspace? Here’s what brokers – and their clients – need to know about some of the areas that are bringing the 15-Minute concept to life.

Paris

The French capital has long been renowned for its architecture, art and romance - but it’s recently become known as la ville du quart d’heure: the quarter-of-an-hour city.

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo made the concept of the 15-Minute City a centrepiece of her successful 2020 re-election campaign, announcing soon after taking office that the Champs-Élysées, Paris’s most iconic road, would be transformed into a green and leafy space with more room for pedestrians. Hidalgo has already banned high-polluting vehicles, restricted the quays of the Seine to pedestrians and cyclists and built more than 50km of bike routes known as coronapistes.

Hidalgo’s overall aim is to create “a city of proximities” – not only between structures, but between people. It’s understandable, therefore, that the City of Lights is experiencing a flexspace boom.

Ranked among the top 10 best startup cities in the world, Paris is also a coworking hotspot. Demand for flexspace in Paris is nearly double the global average, and in terms of flexspace supply, it ranks fourth in a list of the world’s major cities.

IWG already has more than 65 flexible workspaces in the city and its surrounding areas. These include Spaces Bonne Nouvelle, set within a beautiful Art Deco building, and the sustainably refurbished Spaces Saint Lazare. Regus centres are situated throughout the city, as well as in suburban areas such as Fontenay-sous-Bois. Elsewhere, Stop & Work Versailles Chantier holds a prime position in central Versailles.

According to an IWG study, 68% of workers in France now consider flexible working to be the “new normal”. Companies are responding positively to the rise of hybrid working, too, with 77% of firms in France saying they now use the policy to attract top talent.

Unsurprisingly, IWG centres in Paris and the rest of the country are expecting a surge in demand as France’s Covid-19 restrictions begin to ease.

Copenhagen

It’s no surprise that Copenhagen has become a ‘poster city’ for the 15-Minute concept. It’s one of the most advanced in the world when it comes to sustainable transport, and thanks to Copenhagen’s brilliant provision for cyclists, two-thirds of its residents choose to travel by bike. Fewer than 10% of citizens use a car in Copenhagen.

Copenhagen is also a leader when it comes to the provision of flexspace. According to a report by CBRE, flexible workspaces currently account for 3.6% (210,000sqm) of total office supply in the city and 3.3% (320,000sqm) in Greater Copenhagen. The report also found that the number of traditional short-term office leases is falling as flexible workspace operators seize a greater share of the market.

IWG is the biggest operator of centres in the city, offering workers a mix of flexibility, entrepreneurial buzz and first-rate facilities.

Situated in the historic Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave district, Spaces Ny Carlsberg Vej – the refurbished former home of Denmark’s world-famous brewery – blends the energetic spirit and bohemian atmosphere of the city. There are 11 Regus centres in Copenhagen and its suburbs, including the beautiful, light and airy Havnegade 39.

Brighton

This East Sussex seaside resort is well known for its popularity among creatives and entrepreneurs, so it makes sense that the appetite for hybrid working is strong in Brighton. With its bustling streets, creative ambience and impressive variety of amenities, it’s an ideal place to live and work – with corporate HQs in the capital still just a train ride away, and easily accessible when face-to-face meetings are needed.

Last summer, in response to the Covid crisis, Brighton & Hove City Council announced radical changes to its streets. These included road closures and a new temporary cycle lane that stretched for miles along the city’s seafront – and there are further plans for a 10-year programme of walking and cycling improvements.

Brighton’s commitment to pedestrianisation tallies with its reputation as a progressive, forward-looking city. It will help to make the 15-Minute City a reality for many residents, as will the rise of flexspace in the area. Brighton already boasts three IWG centres – Spaces Trafalgar Place, Regus Tower Point and Regus Queensberry House – and all are accessible on foot or by bike from nearby residential areas.

Small towns

While these cities already have thriving flexspace markets, it’s worth noting that others are also ripe for investment. Berlin, Madrid and Milan are among other European locations surveyed by Arup as part of its research on the 15-Minute City.

When it comes to assessing opportunities, it makes sense to consider small towns, too. In the UK, demand for IWG workspaces in some M25 commuter hotspots surged during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Uxbridge, there was a rise of 175%, in High Wycombe a jump of 52% and in Hayes an increase of 24%. By contrast, demand for space in some parts of London dropped by 10-20%.

The reinvigoration of local communities is central to the 15-Minute City concept. “Just when local cities and towns seemed to be dying,” says Dixon, “Covid-19 may have come along and saved them… transforming sleepy towns into vibrant centres for work and community life.”

Find out more about the 15-Minute City in our white paper, and discover how IWG is helping thousands of brokers across the world find the right office space for their clients.