Out of the box

We tried working out of a new co-working space in Kurla and it didn't let us down

Arrey yaar aaj office jaana hai!" If you haven't uttered those words at least once in your lifetime, we salute you. While we can't say we haven't cribbed about the same, entering the Innov8 campus in Kurla surely doesn't make us want to complain. The co-working space spanning 50,000 square feet, the company's biggest campus till date, launched last week. We walk into the reception area close to noontime on a Thursday morning, and community manager Aachal Goyal directs us to the cafeteria, complete with wooden tables and teal chairs. It is then that we realise that this space is not one to be filled with cubicles and meeting rooms.

Glass panels divide the space, and there is no shortage of wall art. On one side you'll see covers of Time magazine, on another there's graffiti and pop art featuring Coca Cola bottles, and just when you think you aren't part of a hardworking generation of millennials, a wall with mirror work that reads 'Hustle' is here to remind you that. Goyal gives us a quick tour of the place comprising hot desks (available on first-come-first-serve basis), dedicated desks, private offices (for groups of four to 50 people), meeting rooms, and recreational areas such as a mini golf course and an amphitheatre.

The lounge area

We wonder how she navigates the maze with ease, when we know it'll take us more than a day to do so. But a floor map is pasted on every wall to help you with directions. And if you get tired of finding your way around, there's a room with two bunk beds for a quick nap. "For mid-day blues," she tells us. Quite the pun, we think. Each bed also has individual bunk light fixtures for when you want it to get all dark and cozy. The room we settle into to file our story is a private office that can accommodate a group of four — the one with the Coke bottle wall art, because some amount of caffeine can surely help.

We occupy one of the wooden chairs featuring multicoloured patchwork. Our phone runs out of battery, and we are thankful for the built-in charging port on our desk. The WiFi password is delivered to us by message and the speed, even on a shared network, is impressive. The team gives out a green bottle filled with water on every desk. And if you've got food along like us, you can heat it in the pantry. The only let-down is that the place doesn't serve food, which is understandable given that they have only around 50 people on board as of now. But at the end of the day, we aren't confined to boxes that hinder our creativity. And we can't wait for the day when this model can turn into a norm.

People work on dedicated desks equipped with charging ports and storage boxes

At Piramal Agastya Private Limited, Kamani junction, Kurla.
Log on to innov8.work

A plan for everyone
Hotdesks
Rs 6,000 plus taxes (18%)
Meant for: Freelancers
What's included: One hour of meeting room usage, twenty print-outs, and beverages
Dedicated Desk

Rs 10,000 plus taxes (18%)
Meant for: Start-ups
What's included: Two hours of meeting room usage, forty print-outs, and beverages
Private Offices

Rs 15,000 plus taxes (18%)
Meant for: Enterprises
What's included: Meeting and conference rooms, housekeeping, and recreational areas

Let's compare
CoWrks, Worli
Hot Desk: Rs 10,499
Dedicated Desk: Rs 11, 499
Private Office: Rs 21,499

We Work, BKC
Hot Desk: R18,000
Dedicated Desk: Rs 25,000
Private Office: Rs 40,200

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