Coworking in Chengdu

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  • This topic has 27 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by Avatar photoDan.
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  • #32162
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    Hello friends,

    I’m thinking about open the first Coworking office in Chengdu, is anyone interested?

    Here’s some more information: Coworking on Wikipedia

     

    #32177
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    This is something I’ve been considering for a long time Federico.  Living in Vancouver before coming to China, I would regularly see and visit such spaces.  The (British Columbia) government used to give strong support to Co-operatives before gentrification of the city started killing it off.  There’s been something of a resurgence of these types of spaces, but the rents have gone sky high.  I visited one such building in the city that had not only a full printing press for residents, but a fully fledged professional recording studio.  Pretty damn neat.

    I do have plans for something in the (hopefully) not too distant, though the key issue is space/location.  In the meantime a friend and I will find a decent sized working space, and where possible allow others to use it alongside us.  Chengdu is brimming with creativity that could use some exposure.

    I will swing by and see you soon for a coffee and a chat.  You obviously have a few ideas brewing!

    #32207
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    I think that in the begin we can try to find some place and check if someone want join in… about a coffee guinness or guinnoffee if next week you have time we can meet at Raffles city…

    #32230
    Avatar photong so fan
    Participant

    Hi Federico, nice day!

    I did go back HK and am hkliving now. May come back CD soon for a short stay. Do you have another laptop for sales? ahahaha, I just need one now, too bad.

    Regarding this coworking place, I have the feeling that it is more a place for artists, each take up some spaces as their workshop. I dont know if it is correct. In HK, we can find similar set up in some old factory buildings for obvious reasons i.e. cheaper rent and large size…. However, in CD, space seems not a problem and rent is relatively low. I think the attraction might be more about a share of interests…

    #32239
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    In America and Europe, we use Coworking area like a shared office, not only for artistic activities…

    Why it is useful? because you can begin many business relationship and share your exeperience… and for someone can to be a cheap way for have office & services…

    P.S.

    I’ll send to you an email…

    #44806
    Avatar phototrudat
    Participant

    Hi Federico, did you ever open your coworking space? I’m a web application developer. I’m thinking to rent a small office near Ximianqiao (close to the Nationalities university). If I did that, I’m wondering if there would be any interest out there to rent the use of a desk. It would include wifi and water for around 600 RMB/month. Would doing this be legal? I don’t own a business in China.

    #44807
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    This is a good idea, someone should really do this. I’m not sure there are a lot of remote workers in Chengdu, but it still seems like a profitable and very helpful thing to establish. I doubt it would be “legal” unless you’re a registered company, but honestly, it would probably be even crazier to try to incorporate in China and register as a business just to run a co-working space for expats with a few desks.

    #44810
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    Hey guys, sure that a coworking space still to be a good idea, but we must check who really can to be interested. I don’t think that can to be a trouble, anyway we are in China, where everything it’s possible! …or not?

    Waiting more feedback!

    #44811
    Avatar photohyobin
    Participant

    I’m also interested in a co-op style working space/ workshop. This idea is being discussed among many individuals both in and outside of creative fields and the demand is increasing–even among Chinese creatives. Based on conversations I’ve engaged in in Chengdu a few things to consider are:

    1. Location

    2. Commitment level: time, cost, involvement level

    3. Management/ operating a space

    I’d love to delve more into this.

    #44813
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    We must remember that “cowork” it’s not only share the space, but sometimes share ideas, business, experience… and isn’t an open space, where everyone do what he/she want, must respect another coworker, still an office.

    About location, it’s possible find good places at affordable price. Sharing the quotes, will be not expensive. Better if near a subway station. Personally I love Tianfu Software Park Area and still not too expensive for now.

    About every details is better firstly check how many we are and make a meetup!

    A list below, please who want to be in, write a post, i will add him/her…

    COOWORKERS:
    Federico

    #44815
    Avatar phototrudat
    Participant

    Thanks for the replies! When I’ve used coworking spaces before I remember thinking to myself that I’d much rather use one than run a coworking space. What I mean is that since there isn’t one yet established here in Chengdu, I’d be willing to put in some effort to get one started but I don’t want to make a career out of running one. I think the lowest maintenance set up would be to find a place with lots of rooms. Each key member could rent an entire room. They set up their own furniture and share the common space (living room, kitchen and bathroom). Each key member has a key to the office and to their private room.

    Once enough key members have been found to pay for the rent and expenses, the coworking space could be open to desk members who have desks in the common areas.

    To those interested, what locations and monthly membership fees would you consider?

    Take a look at this possibility in Nijiaqiao (near the US consulate).

    http://zu.cd.fang.com/chuzu/3_162029284_1.htm

    It’s got six rooms and is already equipped with tons of desks and chairs.

    This is a simpler example of a 3 bdrm apt for 3600 RMB/month.

    http://zu.cd.fang.com/chuzu/3_162285058_1.htm

    There would be three key members paying one third of the rent, maintenance fee and utilities to start. As desk members are added, the key members would pay less for their private rooms.

    A maid could be hired to janitorial work and her fees added to the coworking space’s expenses, spread out among the members.

    If there were enough members that were interested, a cook could be added to make lunch daily.

     

    #44817
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    I understand you Trudat, but a COWO place is “work together”, “share”… if I don’t misunderstand you, your idea is more like “a simple shared office”… well, maybe we can find a middle way…

    #44822
    Avatar phototrudat
    Participant

    Hi Federico, I don’t mind working together. In fact a really simple coworking idea or “jelly” as they used to be called is to just get together at scheduled times during the week at a coffee shop. I really love Maan Coffee. It’s a great place and they have big tables that seat 8 people. It would be perfect for a jelly meetup. Wifi is faster in the mornings when its not crowded. If anyone is interested, we could do meetups at the Maan Coffee near the Huaxiba subway stop 漫咖啡(2号店) . Opens at 9am but the door is open earlier. Guarded bike parking in basement (1 rmb for moped). DianPing OpenRice

     

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    #44827
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    Just a moment, Maan Coffee (that I like too) can to be useful for a MeetUp or Jelly like you said, but can’t to be a real Coworking Area, in fact is a bar.
    Anyway we can use it for organize a meeting for speak about this idea.
    Another quiet place can to be the Youth88:

    http://site.douban.com/162986/

    #44836
    Avatar photoniklas
    Participant

    I understand you Trudat, but a COWO place is “work together”, “share”

    I think the suggested space looks good. A coworking space should offer an environment for undistracted working AND for sharing. Would be great if there’s space for exchanging ideas etc, but when focusing on your own work you don’t necessarily have to sit right next to the others.

    #44863
    Avatar photoAlfredo
    Participant

    That sounds like a good idea… If someone wants to find a place with a nice kitchen space, I’d love to rent it. Not that I want to open a restaurant there but only for culinary experimental purposes.

    #44924
    Avatar photoFredkndn
    Participant

    Hi everyone, I got ‘linked’ to this feed from the Entrepreneurship Meet-Up group on Wechat (a very useful group!) and was wondering if I could help out.
    I work for a company called KS Milestone. We offer fully furnished offices/co-working spaces in Chengdu.
    If anyone is interested and wants to meet up or come by the office, drop me a email at “[email protected]” , and i’ll be glad to help out!

    All the best,
    Fred

    #44928
    Avatar photoniklas
    Participant

    I work for a company called KS Milestone. We offer fully furnished offices/co-working spaces in Chengdu.
    If anyone is interested and wants to meet up or come by the office, drop me a email at “[email protected] , and i’ll be glad to help out!

    Hey Fred. Seems to me like Milestone provide traditional serviced offices, or are they somehow more like coworking spaces that encourage interaction and sharing of knowledge between the people working there?

    Serviced offices might be of interest to people interested in coworking space, but serviced offices are very different from coworking spaces.

    #44932
    Avatar photoFredkndn
    Participant

    Hi Niklas. You are right in that our offices are like the ‘traditional office style’ than a co-working space. However in our business centres we do also have large pantry areas/coffee lounge which we offer to our clients where they can get together, interact, exchange knowledge or even just have a coffee to escape from the desk. One could say, a traditional office with a co-working space. So you could have an area for undistracted working and then a sharing area, like you said in your previous comment.
    Hope this clears it up a bit,
    all the best,
    Fred

    #44977
    Avatar photoFederico
    Participant

    So i think we can make a meetup for speak about this project, who is in?
    I’m checking how many we are…

    COWO MEETUP (place and date to fix)
    Federico

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