What is Coworking? A Short History
What is Coworking? Well, it’s very simple according to Google! Coworking is “the use of an office or other working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically so as to share equipment, ideas, and knowledge.” Although those who have used a coworking space before will know there is a lot more to most coworking spaces than that! With this blog I wanted to dive deeper and explore coworking from the very beginning, to the present day.
Where it all Began
We can trace the roots of coworking back to 1995, when Berlin's C-Base, a “hackerspace” for computer lovers, offered communal space and resources for collaborative side projects. But it was Brad Neuberg in San Francisco who first coined the term “coworking” in 2005. His idea? A workspace that offered the freedom of freelancing with the structure and community of a traditional office.
By 2010, the model had spread globally. London’s “The Hub” (now Impact Hub) was one of the UK’s earliest examples, and cities like Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham weren’t far behind. Coworking grew because it solved a problem; it gave people flexibility, without the isolation of working from home or the rigidity of corporate environments.
By Q4 2024, the UK was home to over 3,000 coworking spaces. The 2024 Coworking Industry Report by CoworkingCafe shows continued growth beyond London, with regional hubs thriving thanks to hybrid work and a rising freelance economy.
What’s Driving the Shift
Hybrid is now the norm: According to a 2023 UK Parliament Research Briefing, 40% of UK workers have hybrid or remote arrangements, and the number is rising.
Flexibility attracts talent: The 2024 Deloitte Human Capital Trends report found that flexible work models are no longer ‘nice-to-have’. They’re key to recruitment and retention.
Space needs have evolved: Businesses are ditching the one-size-fits-all approach in favour of adaptable, on-demand workspace. The Instant Group’s Future of Flex 2024 report shows increasing demand for part-time office use, dedicated desks, and flexible memberships.
The Influence of the Pandemic
Of course, the rise of coworking wasn't a straight line. The pandemic forced nearly all office-based workers to rethink how (and where) they worked. While many feared the end of shared workspaces, the rebound proved otherwise. WRAP was initially scheduled to open in September 2020, but was delayed until July 2021. This however was ultimately a positive thing as we opened with many changes made to the building specifically to adapt to the pandemic!
According to data from The Instant Group, flexible workspace occupancy in the UK rebounded to 83% in 2022 and continued to rise into 2024. And CBRE’s 2023 Occupier Sentiment Survey reported that 66% of UK office occupiers were actively looking to reduce or adapt their space requirements.
Coworking and Childcare - a growing niche!
One of the most exciting evolutions of coworking is its intersection with family life. For many working parents, especially in post-pandemic life, the juggle between work and childcare has never been more challenging. That’s where integrated coworking and childcare solutions, like us, come in! WRAP is Brighton’s only coworking space with on-site childcare, designed by parents for parents. A place where hybrid working feels great, where your children can enjoy on-site childcare, where the coffee flows and the vibe is home-from-home.
A Building with Stories to Tell
Before WRAP made 82 Queen’s Road its home, this building had already lived many lives. While the exact construction date remains a mystery, records show it was in use by 1886, with a rear extension added in 1892. In 1888, Robert Horne Penney, a prominent Quaker shipowner and coal and timber trader, was working from the building. His company remained here until at least 1931, and at one point, he was the largest shipowner recorded in the Shoreham Shipping registers. At the same time, the building also housed Wheeler Iron and Marble Merchants, Putnick Surveyors and Auctioneers, and the Brighton and Hove Band of Hope Union, a Quaker-led temperance group. You could say it was an early version of coworking; multiple professionals from different sectors sharing a space under one roof, each shaping the building’s character in their own way.
In the decades that followed, 82 Queen’s Road bounced between uses, converted into offices in 1963, a maisonette in 1966, and back to offices again in 1977. It’s been home to everyone from traders to military recruiters. Meanwhile, next door at 83 Queen’s Road, the story leaned more into residential, aside from the occasional egg importer or removals firm!
Now, WRAP continues that legacy of shared purpose, bringing together founders, teams, freelancers and families under one roof, in a space designed for connection, creativity and calm. In many ways, the building has always been about more than just bricks and mortar. It’s been a place where work gets done, ideas are shared, and people come together. We’re proud to keep that tradition alive, with just a few more plants and much better coffee.
WRAP: A Brighton-Based Evolution of Coworking
At WRAP, we’ve taken everything that made early coworking great: flexibility, connection, purpose and layered in what modern workers really need: calm, thoughtful design, professional infrastructure, and meaningful community.
And it’s all just 30 seconds from Brighton Station. We’d love to show you around. Book a free trial day or tour here.
