Inside Goodwater Collective’s New Burlingame Office

Michal
Real estate
4 days ago

A team of designers and architects from Atelier Cho Thompson designed a new office for social workspace provider Goodwater Collective in Burlingame, California.

“The Goodwater Collective is a visionary brainchild of Goodwater Capital which reflects the post-pandemic phenomenon of the fastest-growing place to work being “third spaces.” This project combines aspects of coffee shops, lobbies, and social clubs, acknowledging that people want to be in community, building social networks and in spaces that are flexible and comfortable. The design contains a mixture of spaces for private conversations and social areas for serendipitous interactions. Goodwater recognized that hybrid work had transformed the purpose of the office, and the “office” must now create ideal spaces for socialization, team building and collaboration while ensuring spaces for privacy and quiet heads-down work.

Goodwater Collective is a space for the VC firm’s portfolio company leaders to gather and learn from each other but also an amenity for the surrounding community and outside companies. Friends of the company often rent out the space for all hands meetings, events, and team building. Its ground-floor location is intentional as its expansive windows and cafelike design is inviting even to those in the community. A library wall anchors the ground floor as a place to feature products of the portfolio companies but also to house board games, acknowledging that relationships and ideas often form during recreational, extracurricular activities.

By building spaces for community, dining, events, teambuilding, and networking, Goodwater has hybridized the professional, social club and a coworking space that includes a café and work areas with soft, comfortable seating and elevated tables. This forward-looking project acknowledges that work, wellness, community, and culture are inextricably intertwined and integral to the workplace if wanting to stay relevant in today’s world.”