Dezeen Magazine

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp

Antwerp co-working space by Going East encourages occupants to explore its diverse spaces

The experience of walking New York's High Line inspired the layout of Antwerp co-working space Fosbury & Sons, designed by Belgian studio Going East.

The new co-working space fills 3,000 square metres on the first floor of Antwerp's WATT Tower, a 1958 building by modernist architect Léon Stynen.

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp

Going East wanted the space, which includes a mezzanine level, to have a surprising flow that would encourage creativity and break up the usual monotony of working in an office.

In a reference to New York's famous elevated park, the interior designers looked to create a "High Line-like feeling" where "you can take different types of walks and discover something new each time".

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp

To achieve this, they created an assortment of different formal and informal working spaces, including amphitheatre-style stair seating, a mid-century-styled meeting room and one nook with a daybed.

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp

"Here you can pause at the bar during a 'walk', work at the plants, sit in the library, lie down in the Aster seat, enjoy the view on the steps," said Going East co-founder Anaïs Torfs. "That freedom is important."

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp

The studio also wanted to create "greatness and breathing space", a feeling aided by the six-metre-high ceilings that feature in parts of the lower floor uninterrupted by the mezzanine.

Going East custom-built a number of elements in the space — including a bar made of recycled bricks and fibreglass.

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp

The rest they styled with a mixture of Danish modern furnishings, contemporary pieces and crafted objects. Sofas come from the new Belgian furniture brand Journuit.

"We love a mix between old and new, by using natural materials in combination with an ethnic touch," said Torfs, who founded Going East together with fellow interior designer Michiel Mertens.

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp

Created to host a mixture of small businesses, entrepreneurs and "digital nomads", Fosbury & Sons is the latest in a string of flexible, communal spaces opening around the globe to cater to an increasingly self-employed workforce.

This year has also seen Yves Behar design a boutique co-working space called Canopy in San Francisco, while Tom Dixon was involved in London's Atrium.

Photography is by Frederik Vercruysse.

More images and plans

Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Ground floor plan
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
First floor plan
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp
Fosbury & Son co-working space in the WATT-tower, Antwerp