Art

Of Course French Co-Working Spaces Are Swankier Than Ours

July 24, 2017

Let your eyes feast on the most luxe work space we’ve seen yet:

Photo by WeWork/Benoit Florencon

Earlier this month, New York-based WeWork made its debut in the City of Light, and we still haven’t picked our jaws up off the ground. The popular co-working space put its roots down in Paris’s ninth arrondissement, paying homage to the boho heyday of the 1920s, “Les Années Folles” (“the crazy years”), with an environment guaranteed to inspire someone’s grand opus.

“Our design team wanted to honor Paris’ history as a vibrant cultural mecca for the opulent, the bohemian, and the intellectual,” explained Brittney Hart, head of interior design. WeWork La Fayette is housed in an historic building that was completed in 1933, showcasing a stunning atrium with an Art Deco glass roof, a grand staircase, and granite and marble flooring and walls—a decidedly more glamorous work setting than what most people are used to.

Photo by WeWork/Benoit Florencon

WeWork La Fayette houses multiple outdoor terraces and boasts views over St. Georges and Pigalle. Communal areas offer up swanky velvet-upholstered banquettes and Muuto Oslo lounge chairs, while bright colors, walnut finishes, and brushed brass accents characterize smaller break out areas. Suddenly, that weekly team meeting seems a lot more fun here, non?

Photo by WeWork/Benoit Florencon

We can only imagine what the shared pantry area must look like in a country with such a revered culinary tradition (gilded plates? Copper servingware?). WeWork La Fayette is currently accepting applications, with fees ranging from €450 (approximately U.S. $523)/month for a single desk, upwards of €36,700 (approximately U.S. $42,670)/month for offices accommodating 50 seats. Freelance life has never looked so glamorous.

What type of work areas are you most productive in? Let us know in the comments.

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

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Hana is a food writer/editor based in New York.

3 Comments

Matt April 25, 2018
People with money have nice spaces anywhere. I don't know why Americans fetishise France so much. The average working Frenchman doesn't have access to a space like this.
 
Jackson F. July 24, 2017
Such a fresh use of color! And that ceiling!
 
Nancy July 24, 2017
Headline seems a huge generalization based on sample size of two.