Location of Coworking Spaces (CWSs) Regarding Vicinity, Land Use and Points of Interest (POIs)

Abstract

Background: The place of work is, besides the place of residence, a main travel destination in the course of the day for working people, who make up the majority of western European societies. Other daily destinations, such as those for childcare, social activities, and buying groceries, are spatially related to both of these. This article aims to detect if and how the character of the neighbourhood and the associated land use is related to the location of coworking spaces. Specifically, we investigate the spatial relation between coworking spaces (CWSs) in peripheral and non-peripheral regions to specific points of interest (POIs). These POIs could be daily destinations relevant for a common lifestyle of working people. The data rely on identifying the location of CWSs (peripheral/non-peripheral, land use) in Germany and relating the location of CWSs to the location of POIs using georeferenced data. The results show an accumulation of CWSs and POIs in non-peripheral regions and residential areas and a higher number of specific POIs in their vicinity. From these results, we infer that a relatively higher number of specific POIs in the vicinity of CWSs makes it more likely to use this service and thus provides specific advantages to users of CWSs. If work is performed in a CWS close to the place of residence, other daily destinations could be reached in a short time and the spending capacity could remain in the local economy. The quality of life could increase, and the commute is shrinking with effects on traffic, carbon emission, and work–life balance. Further research could investigate whether this also occurs in an international context, and could focus on developing social-spatial models, by making of use remote sensing. In this way, one could measure the impact on public space and on the neighbourhood of CWSs more quantitatively.

A Way to Attract Digital Nomads to Tourist Destinations in the New Normal Era

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“…Digitalization supports rural living-it is no longer necessary to live where you work, especially when housing costs are still rising in urban areas. Coworking spaces, which are growing not only in suburban areas but also in rural and peripheral locations, are a prime example of this development [32,33,44]. Younger people are rediscovering rural areas as a place to live and work, so digitalization is a great opportunity to address the problem of generational renewal and to support a positive population development.…”

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“…Points of interest (POIs) related to daily life, such as grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, and child-care facilities, generate physical activities [93] similar to multi-purpose trips [94], which aligns with the concept of the "15-Minute City" [95]. The more gatherings and interactions are possible, the denser the network of relationships and exchanges becomes, with this process resembling the workings of a vital organism.…”

“…In addition to physical activities, these POIs offer opportunities for both affective and intellectual engagement with others. When work is performed from a coworking space in the vicinity of a place of residence, the relevant commute can then be accomplished on foot or bicycle, thereby saving fuel, reducing CO2 emissions, keeping people healthier, and the increasing capacity of the town, as well as promoting physical and emotional interaction in the vicinity of individuals' places of residence [93,96].…”