The hive: identity construction within a coworking space

The concept of coworking caters to freelancers and entrepreneurs who not only seek a shared office space but also be part of a socially bound group with similar ideas and goals. The aim of providing a space that fosters collaboration, sense of community, enhances creativity and sustains communication within a diverse group of independent professionals. Whilst the concept has flourished over the span of 10 years, little is known of the participants’ experiences within coworking spaces and whether such spaces do deliver what it promises. Based on 3 months of ethnographic work at the Hive, a coworking space that started in 2011, I explored the way these coworkers construct their identities within the space itself. I have identified conflicting perspectives which presented the following coworking archetypes: The Nostalgic, Corporate Identities, The Outsider, Self-imposed Exiles and Collaborative Isolators. These archetypes are troubling in that they do not seem to reflect the intended images and cultural aims of a coworking space.