As demand for coworking continues to grow, niche coworking spaces stand out. Catering to the specific needs of distinct professional communities, these specialised workspaces go beyond just offering a desk and Wi-Fi. In fact, they provide tailored environments, resources, and networks enabling professionals to thrive in their respective fields. This article explores the opportunities these niche coworking spaces offer in various industries in 2025.
Coworking for creatives
Artists, designers, and creative professionals face many challenges in their careers, not least access to finances and opportunities. That’s where coworking spaces for creatives come in – providing artists and designers with the resources, equipment, and community they require to persevere in their creative projects.
For example, Opo’Lab is the first ‘fab lab,’ or fabricating laboratory in Portugal which although not brand-new, serves a community of designers. It’s “dedicated to thinking and exploring the creative use of new technologies in architecture, engineering, design, and other artistic fields, by promoting research, education, and cultural activities.” Many designers who are developing products, materials, and brands to improve sustainability come to Opo’Lab to find solutions.
But, there are also spaces for artists, like The Handbag Factory in London, which initially opened as a gallery in 1990. Since 2023, the space (managed by an art charity) allows artists to use the workspace or rent gallery space for exhibitions. The Handbag Factory ‘welcomes those who typically may not be able to afford commercial rates for workspaces, such as art charities, non-profit organisations, and community groups.’
Coworking for wellness
Combining coworking space with wellness amenities is hugely attractive, according to JLL. However, it doesn’t just work to support coworkers, as these new fitness spaces offer greater opportunities for the growing number of freelance fitness and wellness professionals. In fact, there were 190,000 people working in the UK fitness industry in 2022, from just 131,800 in 2010. Many of these individuals are freelance.
Take The Ministry (a Nexudus customer) as an example. It offers 150 classes per week from its Borough workspace, ranging from yoga and HIIT, to more specific classes, such as Keiser strength and Peloton. On the other hand, many fitness spaces are doubling as workspace too, inline with popular ‘work from anywhere’ and ‘work near home’ trends.
But in the wellness world, it’s not just about physical fitness – it’s about mental wellbeing too. For instance, psychologist Paula Madrid, launched New York’s Blue Panda Office Spaces to serve mental health professionals and wellness providers, amongst others, by renting out its private offices. These have been designed specifically for therapists meeting their clients, so they’re not only sensitive in their layout, but their design features imbue calming sensations for patients too.
Coworking for social impact
Many charities and non-profits are doing amazing work, thanks to the people putting endless amounts of time into hard graft for a particular cause. But, these individuals contracted to projects, including freelancers and volunteers, may not have a specific workplace – especially when they’re only based in a location for a short time or travel for work.
This is where coworking for social impact comes in – providing access to a network of like-minded people in a professional space makes a difference to their work and their wellbeing. Although The Melting Pot in Edinburgh is proudly one of Europe’s first coworking spaces, it still serves a community of social impact workers twenty years on. Founder, Claire Carpenter, launched the coworking space while working in the charitable sector. She aspired to open a space specifically for people working in social impact, to bring together a network of people who could share and learn from one another, and have fun in the process.
Claire was largely inspired by Impact Hub – now, a worldwide group of coworking spaces for people working in social impact. Their mission is “to build a just and sustainable world where business and profit serve people and planet.”
Coworking for Podcasters and Musicians
The global podcast industry is booming. Indeed in 2022, it was valued at $18.52 billion. Recognising that many podcasters use coworking spaces too, often as freelancers or when travelling on the go, the flexible workspace sector is accommodating by installing top-of-the-range podcast studios complete with soundproof walls and media equipment in its spaces.
For instance, Edinburgh’s first coworking space for women, Egg & Co, recently opened doors last year in the city centre. It’s complete with a podcast studio available to rent. This high-quality amenity serves not only the podcast community but also drives representation – in 2022, only 29% of US podcast creators were women, with 2% being non-binary.
Tileyard Studios has a best-in-class recording studio right in the heart of London. It operates under a strong mission to “champion and support independent artists and businesses by providing them with space to work and room to grow.” Their services include workspace, recording studio, and a gallery.
Coworking for Nomads
Although digital nomads aren’t a specific industry, they make up a huge global community. In fact, in 2023 there were 17 million US digital nomads, increasing by an astonishing 131% since 2019. The nomadic lifestyle comes with many ups and downs, making coworking for nomads an attractive niche market.
Having experienced the lack of a professional workspace while working out of Laos, Chris, the founder of The Desk, in Luang Prabang, launched this independent coworking space to provide a professional workspace for travellers passing through the town or living there.
Likewise, Coworking Bansko is situated in a place that famously attracts digital nomads from all over, for its outdoor activities. The workspace, along with the annual Bansko Nomad Fest, is the brainchild of Matthias Zeitler. The coworking space is spread across the town in several different locations, ranging from a professional workspace to an outdoor forest – all this gives people so much opportunity to work however they want. To make the experience even better for nomads, a coliving space is launching soon, so people can live, work, and play in the same location, with the same community.
Coworking is synonymous with creativity, collaboration and productivity. Businesses and freelancers love coworking spaces because (by surrounding themselves with fellow workers) they’re more likely to achieve their goals. The coworking environment, while social, is set up to facilitate focused, distraction-free working.
Managing coworking spaces is an all-encompassing role, often leaving operators, owners, and community managers with little time to focus on personal growth or draw inspiration from others.
Vibrant, contemporary workspaces create an undeniable ‘wow’ factor. Textured designs and ambient lighting make spaces feel warm and cosy, while natural elements and biophilic design features have literal mood-boosting properties.
Coworking spaces thrive on the “co” – the collaborations, connections, and community – that can be formed within a flexible workspace. In fact, community activation is what transforms shared workspaces from mere buildings into vibrant, thriving hubs that empower people in their professional lives and create meaningful community experiences.
If you've been reading about coworking space design recently, you've probably come across an article or two that mentions narrative design and wondered what exactly it is and how it differs from traditional interior design, as well as how it can be used to improve design.
Coworking maven, Cat Johnson, once said: “Storytelling is one of the best ways to connect with your community and potential members.” A coworking space can tell a story, engage with, and celebrate its community, reflecting values and personalities, that inspire at a wider level.
Imagine swapping the 2-hour commute for a 15-minute bike ride to the office – what would you do with the time you’ve saved? You might use it to build a growing network of neighbours, spend more quality time with family, or even volunteer with a local organisation, becoming more deeply rooted in your community.
Flex space industry growth has undeniably been accelerated by a major shift towards more flexible work models. Last year, 45% of office workers were hybrid, splitting their time between home, the office, and third places, reports Ipsos Karian & Box. Times are changing, bringing new expectations around the purpose of the office. At GCUC UK London, the panel discussion: “Evolving Occupier Needs in the Flex Space Market,” offered valuable insights into the transforming expectations of flex space occupiers. This article shares some of their conversations while exploring this topic further.
The rise of hybrid working brings an exciting lifestyle opportunity for adventure seekers. Indeed, digital nomadism – combining remote work with travel, where nomads don’t have a permanent residence – is so popular right now
Creating and sticking to a successful marketing plan isn’t always easy in a coworking space, especially if you're a lean team - with a tight budget - juggling multiple responsibilities. But the fact is, marketing has a direct impact on growth, visibility and the ability to attract and retain members.