10 Creative Co-Working Spaces In South Africa
Ready to get out of a basement and into a real office? Before you strike out on your own and get locked into a lease, consider a co-working space. Co-working spaces offer connectivity, a concentration of digital resources, and a proper work infrastructure where there may otherwise be none. They are affordable, full of start-up geeks like yourself and probably cooler than any office your start-up could afford. So, feast your eyes on the following 10 coolest co-working spaces available in South Africa.
Cape Town
1. Khayelitsha Hubspace
Offers entrepreneurs, creative professionals and world travellers access to hot desks, meeting rooms, chill out areas, reception services, high speed internet and business equipment. Hubspace provides a communal zone that provides a space for events and a think tank environment for like-minded people. The space is also available for workshops, conferences, labs, parties and other cause-driven events.
Offers : Office space, reception services, high speed internet and meeting rooms.
Location : Ncumo Road, Harare Business Square, Khayelitsha.
Contact details : Meli Gqobo – 021 201 8579
[email protected] for more details on their rates.
2. Bandwidth Barn
The Barn has been in operation since 2000 and is regarded as a leading ICT business incubator worldwide. It started with four start-ups who wanted to overcome the high cost of renting and expensive bandwidth. They work with entrepreneurs and business owners in the tech and design industries.
Offers: Co- working space, private office, high speed internet and hot-desking.
Location: 3rd Floor, Block B, Woodstock Exchange, 66 – 68 Albert Road, Woodstock.
Contact details: Nina Valentyn – 021 409 7000
3. Twenty Fifty
This is a membership based co-working community for individuals and small teams from a multitude of disciplines. Their goal is to attract a diverse pool of tenants to interact, learn from each other and collaborate.
Offers: Office space, Wifi and cleaning services.
Location: 36 Buitekant Street, Cape Town.
Pricing: monthly membership R1500/monthly
Base membership: R150/day
Contact details: [email protected]
4. Inner City Ideas Cartel
The ICIC is a membership-based co-working space that provides luxury office suites and premium shared office space. They offer start-ups, freelancers and creative professionals office space.
Offers: Co-working space, semi private and private suites.
Location: De Waterkant, Cape Town.
Pricing: Co-working from R2000/month, shared from R3500/month, private from R12 500/month
Contact details: ideascartel.com
5. 80 Hout Street
An open plan co-working studio space for creatives, this loft-style studio in the Cape Town city centre is home to designers, coders, writers, photographers, and start- ups.
Offers: Office space, Wifi and a cleaning services.
Location: 80 Hout Street, Cape Town.
Pricing: R100/day, R500/week, R2000/month
Contact details: [email protected]
Johannesburg
6. NewARC Studio
Non-profit organisation Assemblage opened the Newtown Artist Run Centre and Studios (NewARC) in Newtown in April 2012. The creation of this space was aimed at creating an artist-run initiative that: supports the visual arts community of Johannesburg, benefits the industry and gives artists the space to fulfill their potential.
Offers: Internet access, furniture, access to a library and a collection of art-making resources (which are all covered by rent alongside the costs of water, lights and security).
Location: 41 Gwi Gwi Mwrebi Street, Newtown, Johannesburg.
Contact details: For general enquiries, email [email protected], for workshops, [email protected], and for peer mentoring, [email protected], http://newarcstudios.co.za
7. Jozi HUB
JoziHub is a co-creation space in Johannesburg dedicated to creating sustainable change in Africa. It provides a space to share ideas, collaborate and explore the opportunities created by the social and technological changes that are transforming our continent.
Offers: access to a network of innovators, events as well as activities hosted by the hub (exclusively for members) as well as WiFi
Location: 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark, Johannesburg.
Contact Details: Matthew de Gale [email protected]
8. OPEN Johannesburg
Set in the Maboneng Precinct, OPEN offers the ideal workspace for those who are not tied down to the conventional office as part of a larger company nor are they able to work efficiently in the commotion of a coffee shop.
You can rent one of three spaces for a few hours or for an entire day – each room comes equipped with different amenities. With hourly rates ranging from R200 to R700 and daily rates ranging from R1300 to R4500, you could rent one of two smaller boardrooms, the main boardroom or the larger creative space. Each space has the capacity to hold a particular number of people; the least being 8 and the most being 60.
Location: 4th Floor, Mainchange, 20 Kruger Street, Johannesburg
Contact: Jessica (reception and memberships) Phone: +27 10 900 2000
Email: [email protected]
9. The HUB
Impact Hub Johannesburg is a multi-stakeholder community that fosters social innovation through collaboration to create sustainable, social change.
Offers: the space to network and to create as well as expert facilitated programmes. Members enjoy access to training and support, meeting and working space; a flexible exhibition and events space; and a programme of lectures, talks, training workshops, and networking events.
Location: 4 De Beer Street (corner Smit Street), Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Contact: [email protected]
10. The Common Room
The Common Room provides creatives with a professional, out-of-agency working alternative. Pricing options are based on their 12-month package and range from about R2000.00 for a full month to R1200.00 for 10 days, R140.00 for a one day pass (boardroom access not included) and a R50.00 hourly rate (boardroom access not included)Offers: high-speed Wi-Fi, coffee, desk space, boardroom access, reception services, print and scanning facilities (all covered by a membership fee). They describe their membership as “flexible and affordable. Pay-as-you-go or come-and-go as you please, you choose which contract option works best for you.”
Location: 49 6th Street, Parkhurst, Johannesburg
Contact: 076 752 2723 or email: [email protected]
