We invite you to the second “episode” of our meetings with flex workspaces. We are staying in Warsaw. In its very center. The object we wanted to present today is Mindspace Koszyki.
Location
Mindspace is a network concept with over 30 locations worldwide in 8 countries and 16 cities. The Warsaw location was created in the Hala Koszyki building restored by the Griffin Group. The history of the original building dates back to 1909. A complete renovation was completed in 2016 and probably since then nobody needs to be introduced to this modern meeting place. Most often for culinary purposes, but maybe not everyone knows that modern offices are also present there.
It is a part of this modern office space that is occupied by Mindspace – 4 floors in one tower of the office building and additional 2 floors in the other, it occupies a total of approximately 5,500 sq m. And it is a remarkable 5,500 m2, which we will talk about in a moment.
Coming back to the location, it should be noted that we are in the very center of Warsaw, so according to our methodology, it is difficult to talk about commuting from the center. However, if you look at the place from the perspective of access from other districts, we can get here by underground, to the Politechnika Metro, and from there it is an 8-minute walk. The easiest way to get to Mindspace is to get to Konstytucji Square by tram and bus, and from there it is a 6-minute walk. But the tram and bus will also allow you to reach the facility from the west, i.e. from Niepodległości Avenue. 2 buses: 159 and 151, stop right in front of Hala Koszyki.
Access by car is easy. However, if you do not have a subscription for a parking space in the building, which will cost you 250 EUR / month, you have to look for a parking space nearby, and that may not be easy – as it is always when it comes to parking in the city center. You can look for a parking space in the surrounding streets or the largest public parking in the area, i.e. on Konstytucji Square (of course, there is a paid packaging zone here). If you want to park your car only from time to time, the building has a “ticketed” parking system with a fee of PLN 10 per hour. If you come by taxi to Mindspace, theoretically there is a bay under the building for such transport, but in practice it can get stuck with all kinds of vehicles and you will probably get out of the car stuck to the edge of the road anyway. It is a “merit” of the whole place, which is Hala Koszyki, which is bustling with life from morning to evening. Maybe you choose a bike to get to the office? If so, you can park it safely in the underground parking lot of the building.
You are already here, worked for half of a day and in the middle of the day the question arises: Where is the best place to go for lunch? 🙂 In Mindspace Koszyki the problem is not to find a place, but to decide what you want to eat, because the choice in Hala Koszyki is huge. And if not in the hall itself, then on ul. Koszykowa, Noakowskiego or nearby Lwowska and Poznańska streets, there is a dozen of other possibilities.
Where to drink coffee? This is where we suggest you stay in Mindspace. We really like the local coffee, especially the one from the barista on the first floor.
Standard of the venue
Entrances to the office part in Hala Koszyki are located on the sides of the gastronomic part. A discreet but very elegant entrance leads to a tasteful building reception, where a smart security/ receptionist will show us the way. Disabled people will have no problem entering the building. You will most likely take the next steps to the first floor to visit the Mindspace reception. It is also here that the main open space of the venue is located, including a shared kitchen, barista serving delicious coffee, but also here you can buy a sandwich, cake or a tasty healthy bar. There are comfortable sofas in this space, where you can work with a laptop on your lap or meet a client. There are also “phone booths” for private calls. Such booths can be found on each floor in the common areas near the kitchen area.
The open area, on the 1st floor, is the heart of Mindspace. This is where all networking meetings take place, regularly every Tuesday or Thursday, and you can always meet a lot of people here. You will find out for sure about organized events. Information about them is presented in a dedicated app, in a weekly community newsletter and on screens in common areas. During our stay there was a tasting of flavored olives with delicious bread.
Offices for rent
The “smallest unit” for rent in Mindspace is a dedicated desk, which allows you to sit down in a small office with other subscribers. This is a good solution that allows you to work with greater concentration. Mindspace does not rent hot desks. The minimum rental period for a desk is one month. Mindspace’s domain, however, is the rental of private offices. There are several dozen of them – from one person to even nearly 80 people. The largest ones have internal divisions, into several smaller “openspaces” and separate meeting rooms. Interestingly, Mindspace allows changes in the arrangement of individual offices. Of course, this only makes sense for the biggest ones. The assumption, however, is that it is at the tenant’s expense, and then the office should be restored to its original shape. But is it worth it, since the offices are already ready and arranged with taste and to a high standard?
When using the space, we had the impression that the offices were very well lit, and if there is too much sun, you can use the blinds. The tilt windows are also an advantage, although it must be admitted that the air conditioning works very well.
The appearance of the whole place (common parts) is very stylish. It fits perfectly with the industrial character of the entire building. It is, in a way, its continuation. Here, too, we are accompanied by an industrial style: exposed ceilings, exposed light bulbs with warm light, exposed concrete, black technical elements and furniture… Very nice 🙂
When renting offices, you have access to all amenities and office equipment. The subscription allows you to print 100 pages in black or 25 pages in color. You have access to meeting rooms. For each rented desk, 2 credits are due per month, which is equivalent to 2 hours of renting any meeting room. Mindspace allows rooms to be rented, also by external entities. Of course, the subscription allows you to take full advantage of cold drinks and coffee. Here we have to recommend the syrup and sparkling water from the tap, the mix of which is very refreshing and for which we have come back many times during our stay.
Mindspace’s benefits extend beyond office space. Thanks to the admission card to Mindspace, you will receive a rich package of benefits, including attractive discounts at Hala Koszyki. Another interesting solution is the possibility of renting a bicycle signed with the Mindspace logo. It works best when you have to do some errands while working, and you don’t necessarily want to be stuck in traffic jams, and at the same time you know that you still need to go back to the office. The bike should be returned before the end of the day.
In brief, other important facts about offices and the use of space at Mindspace Koszyki:
- Due to the fact that Minspace is a network, if you have an office subscription, you can use the common areas in all Mindspace all over the world (Israel, Germany, Netherlands, USA, England)
- Mindspace does not allow a company to be registered at its address
- You sign a service contract, not an office space lease contract
- Mindspace is available to four-legged friends.
To sum up
The idea behind the entire Mindspace concept was to create a place where people come to work excited, thanks to which companies function better. To create a place which would make people work more engaged and satisfied, achieve higher productivity and creativity, and make place to attract and retain employees. Mindspace wants to give business owners peace of mind so they can focus on their core business priorities while the Mindspace crew does the rest.
Has it been achieved? We think so. It should be pointed out however, that Mindspace Koszyki is more focused on leasing space to companies than to individuals. Informal workplaces are limited to central common areas on each floor, and will include sofas and armchairs. If you are looking for a place for a few or a dozen people, this is the perfect fit. The workstations are comfortable, the entire office is stylish and pleasant to be here. The whole thing is complemented by an excellent central location and access to the gastronomic zone in Hala Koszyki.
Remember that you can always contact us so that we can support you in your search for a new office. It costs you nothing.
If you prefer to search for your office yourself, please do not hesitate to use our guide available on the Deskpicker website. Certainly, it will allow you not to forget about any important issue and will make it easier to make a choice. We use it for our reviews and it works well for us;)
