WeWork’s inspirational mottoes—"Do what you love," "Thank God it’s Monday," among many others—its evangelical faithful, and gatherings like the summit all have religious echoes..."Start imagining it a bit bigger," Neumann says about WeLive, stoking his idyllic view, "an entire building. And then instead of having just one building doing it, five buildings doing it. Then you’ll be able to imagine what a WeNeighborhood or a WeStreet would be." — Fast Company
This in-depth profile of WeWork founder and (pro-capitalist) visionary Adam Neumann is worth the read. Whether you like to freestyle your work and life or prefer the centuries-old model of deeded quiet, WeWork (and now, WeLive) is making a previously unsustainable model profitable. Is Neumann just creating a fashionable new real estate bubble, or is he reengineering the way society operates?
To catch you up:
11 Comments
this is worth really thinking about on many levels...
And most importantly, how one can get out of a dead end business like ours and make a ton of money:
http://archinect.com/features/article/92243101/working-out-of-the-box-miguel-mckelvey
James Rouse (Rouse Co. – Columbia/Festival Marketplaces/South Street Seaport/Harborplace) did some business incubators back in the late 80’s…hot idea that had appeal, but no legs…other attempts by others, but this one has a social networking twist…more about the “who” than the “what”…might just flourish in this new ebb & flow world and new attitudes about what “work” is.
Back in that era I hooked onto Rouse’s idea and started renting small office suites with stated monthly rents instead of the usual $/SF (like renting apartments), worked well and was easily getting twice the rent…people hate doing math in their heads:)
Good idea for architects to consider for their own offices…renting desk space to collaborators in allied professions - writers, marketing people, interior designers, LA’s…easy way for them to get started and for the firm to expand perceived size & enhance capabilities at a profit.
really good read, but the downer on all this....the Soul of WeWork has a valuation of $16 billion now....like many unassuming upstarts they all achieve valuation eventually.
everything can be eaten by the biggest fish in the sea - Capital.
we all like to believe this -
but it really still is this
^An area multimillionaire I never heard of once invited me to his estate to discuss an addition….I asked him what he did, he said “I wash windows”…”squint”….”I own a window washing company”….”how?” (pointing to the landscape)….”because I’m invisible, nobody knows who I am…little fish don’t get to be big fish by being visible”.
A lot of distractions in this article, but think it’s essentially about the power of place and is best to use this device when reading it….
Oh, no. The guy's a pro-capitalist. And his venture is successful enough to be worth something.
Call the guards!
/\ guess you didnt read the article or do not see the irony.
I had to do a double take on the picture following the jump- I was certain I was looking at a photo of Patti Smith and John Mapplethorp...lol
I like his analogy to Spotify. So cavalier.
He obviously has never set up a traditional pre-amp, power-amp stereo and accidentally distorted his speakers because of the lower fidelity offered by digitally ripped music.
He doesn't care about the past, he's a leader, a visionary, and also an expert on the co-habitation .
Call me old fashion, but I believe the fast and loose days are numbered.
Feast your eyes on my beautiful bone structure; I can manipulate these people with my starry gaze and superior hair product in my sleep. 64 new locations in the next two years.....
This guy's classic.
^ " I believe the fast and loose days are numbered."
Might have a point, remember the hippies & communes? People do eventually grow up and “get with the program”…even Charlie Manson lives in a condo.
Mike - is the end of the world coming?
haha- rest assured, proper precautions are being taken to quarantine the madness
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