A co-working space designed with ancient Zen Philosophy
How did the inception of the brand come about? What is the ideology behind setting up Eccosphere with Zen philosophy? We know that modern lifestyles are hectic and stressful and take a toll on people’s health. However we drew on our knowledge that the right surrounding can not only help mitigate stress, it also makes professionals more productive. Eccosphere is based on Zen design which is an aesthetic philosophy that creates an atmosphere that is free of clutter, peaceful, and that helps reconnect people with nature. It is a minimalistic philosophy that uses natural materials, patterns of light and space that are inspired by nature, and which completely rejects clutter. An office that is built around Zen design is meant to be relaxing, contemplative, and is visually balanced and appealing. Such an office allows those inside to work calmly and to achieve their fullest potential. What sets Eccosphere apart of the many competitors in the co-working market? The concept behind Eccosphere is holistic in every sense. It seeks to care for every facet that can contribute to people’s potential. At Eccosphere, our worldview is investing in people and we cover all essential aspects that lead to people’s success and well-being. We have an approach that takes care of the Trinity of - Mind, Body, and Work. In addition, our constant endeavor is to be a harbour where people can continuously learn, and we’ve also embedded a culture that thrives on the unmatched power of true knowledge. While our competitors remain focused on the ‘business’ they earn from members, we are concerned about how we can serve our members. We believe that if our members are well taken care of, their business will succeed as a result. Their well-being is our input and the success of their organization the output. How do we ensure that we provide good input? We realized that it’s no secret that if a MIND & BODY are well oiled, nurtured and maintained it leads to incremental growth in the personal and professional space. A healthy mind and body are the key ingredients for success. But hardly does our ‘busy’ and ‘modern’ lifestyle allow us the freedom to look after our mind and body, so we thought why not build a workplace that enables and empowers our members to tend to their ‘MIND & BODY’ and allows them to grow personally and professionally. What are some of the salient features of Eccosphere? We differentiate ourselves from others by taking care to create an environment that is conducive to productivity. Eccosphere is equipped with a library at which members can expand their knowledge. We also have an indoor park at which members can relax and in line with our Zen design philosophy, we have a Zen Garden that bestows tranquility on those who work in Eccosphere. Members are also treated to an outdoor café and have access to a Yoga and Meditation room. Such features differentiate Eccosphere from other larger co-working spaces and emphasis our commitment to creating an environment in which members can thrive. Do you think co-working is going to overtake the traditional work environment in 2019? I believe that gradually the world is evolving towards a shared economy. This trend is obvious and is most visible in services such as shared ride-hailing services and of course in co-working spaces. While the shared economy will continue to grow over the years, saying that a component of the shared economy such as co-working spaces will grow larger than traditional work environments as early as 2019 is far too optimistic. Yes, the share of the shared economy and consequently of co-working spaces will grow over the next few years. However, while the shared economy will continue to grow over the next few decades and may eventually because the younger generation is early embracing the shared economy model, even grow to be larger than then the traditional economy; it will not happen as early as 2019. What are the benefits of co-working over the traditional workspaces? To describe all the benefits of working in a co-working space over working in a traditional workspace I would need to write a book. However to answer your question I can explain some of the key advantages. Firstly traditional workspaces can often be cramped and be less conducive to work whereas co-working spaces are spacious and, Eccosphere in particular, has been designed to allow those inside to work productively for hours. The serenity inside Eccosphere is deliberate and many traditional workplaces lack such a calm environment. Co-working spaces also allow members to learn from one another. This means that an IT startup may use the services of someone they found in a co-working space to design a new bookkeeping application. Hence while a traditional workplace is often restrictive, a co-working space is supple and allows members to use the expertise of others in the co-working space. A co-working space also allows members to entertain clients in an environment that is plush and has infrastructure that facilitates such meetings. The excellent physical and IT infrastructure found in co-working spaces are far more expensive to replicate in a traditional workspace. How is the Indian co-working industry progressing as compared to co-working in the west? Unlike in the west where the shared economy is commonplace across many sectors, in India, the shared economy is still largely restricted to urban regions. Hence co-working spaces in Europe or North America are a part of the landscape while such places in India are still found in wealthier urban parts of the country. However, the future of the co-working industry in India is bright because India has a young population that is comfortable participating in a shared economy and in the decades ahead will choose to work in a co-working space rather than in a traditional workspace. Interview with Mr.GautamDuggal, Co-founder and CEO, Eccosphere
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