As co-working and shared office spaces become ubiquitous, certain developers are thinking in terms of specific communities’ needs to set themselves apart. Gene Kansas is one such developer.
Last year, Kansas opened Constellations, a civic and social change-focused shared workspace in the historic Sweet Auburn neighborhood of downtown Atlanta. And now, to cater to the creative community, Kansas has planned Indie Studios, a shared workspace created specifically for designers and creative entrepreneurs.
Atlanta has a larger proportion of the creative class when compared to the average city — according to a 2016 Ortus Economic Research report, 4.3 percent of the total Atlanta workforce classify themselves as ‘designers,’ compared to 3.6 percent in New York.
That same year, Atlanta designers generated 10 percent of the city’s total GDP.
Located in the Armour Yards development that sits at the crossroads of Atlanta’s Midtown, Westside and Buckhead, the 35,000-square-foot converted warehouse space is set to open in spring of 2020. Kansas describes the design concept as “boutique hotel” in a “lush setting.”
Besides a dozen dedicated studios designed to fit 8-20 employees, Indie will also have a tech-focused “Studio X” lab where individuals can purchase a single desk membership. Studio X is geared more towards creative technologists and developers.
Indeed, Kansas defines “creative” broadly, as “an architect, interior designer, game developer, animator, software developer, industrial designer, high-end photographer, producer, content developer, fashion designer, engineer, creative director, urban planner, advertising firm, brand strategist, graphic designer — or an independent super talent who wants to be part of a community of like-minded and engaged professionals.”
“We set out to create a different type of work experience, and set ourselves apart through the efficiency of shared workspace, thoughtful design, and compelling programming,” says Kansas.
The building owner is wall television screen company CineMassive, which also has its headquarters there. CineMassive will take one of the offices in Indie Studios.
CineMassive CEO David Minnix says that Indie will “take one of Atlanta’s greatest creative hotbeds to a whole new level.”
