VOISINS 105
by Chené Koscielny
Working from home sounds great in theory, but after a while the novelty soon wears off and you long to speak to someone other than your dog or plants. Trying to have a meeting in a noisy, busy coffee shop can be challenging, not to mention navigating your way through cringe-worthy networking meetings.
Luckily there are some great co-working venues where entrepreneurs, freelancers and flexible workers can exchange ideas, meet like-minded people and have a great lunch – no strings attached. You only pay when you’re there.
One such option is the increasingly popular Voisins – which recently opened their third co-working venue Voisins 105, near La Praille – which can easily be spotted from the highway thanks to its huge red and white rooftop rocket tower – à la Tintin!
THE CONCEPT
The Voisins concept was started two and a half years ago by yet another former Lausanne hotel school graduate Guido Bakker, who saw the need for a friendly, dynamic and affordable modern office or working space to accommodate the exploding number of 30-40 year old professionals working for themselves or in flexible jobs.
The idea is that co-working makes you more efficient, is more cost-effective and leads to an exchange of knowledge.
“We want to offer people the opportunity to meet others, to exchange ideas and to collaborate and to form a community,” says Guido.
Many of the independent workers from the digital marketing, renewable energy, fin-tech, legal and other industries face the same problems and co-working could lead to them finding solutions through exchanges, collaborations and synergies, he adds.
THE AMBIANCE
The Voisins 105 offices are modern and bright and well equipped, complete with chill-rooms and phone booths with funky artwork.
A dance floor and football table add to the modern and fun vibe. Facilities and services include fast speed broadband and printing facilities.
VOISINS 105 – LATEST
Their latest venue in 105A route des Jeunes is housed in a former industrial building which has been totally renovated to offer 850 square metres of modern, bright office and meeting space, as well as a ground floor restaurant and a stunning roof-top bar.
They chose the location to serve young professionals in the La Praille and wider PAV (La Praille, Acacias and Vernets area) and because of its proximity to one of the stations on the CEVA rail line, currently under construction and which will connect Geneva with Annemasse.
THE OPTIONS
Voisins 105 offers workers 3 different options:
- Renting traditional offices for 2-8 people on a longer-term basis (minimum 3 months)– aimed at smaller companies. These offices can be locked. Cost from CHF480 per month.
- Renting a fixed space for one worker on a monthly basis. Cost from CHF120 per month.
- Hot-desking – renting a desk in an open space per hour.
Workers who pay monthly can swop between Voisins’ three locations, depending on where they need to be in town.
Cost from 5CHF per hour.
THE RESTAURANT
The ground floor restaurant, open to the general public, offers quality meals made from local products, including tartares, salads and specialising in Texan-style smoked meat and vegetables – prepared in the rooftop ‘smoker’. These dishes are served with a side order of mac&cheese, coleslaw or potato salad. Apéro platters comprising meat and cheese, houmous and tapenades or mini-burgers are also available for after work networking.
The three Voisins Cafés and bars are managed in collaboration with Street Gourmet, a restaurant offering fine street food in the centre of town and the popular Bottle Brothers bar in Eaux Vives. In order to encourage maximum exchange and interaction over lunch, the restaurant is a technology free zone! Members get 10% off orders in the restaurant.
THE ROOFTOP
The rooftop bar has a modern, fun feel to it and even has a sandpit and an outside shower under the rocket tower!
“We loved the idea of an affordable rooftop for after-work functions,” says Guido.
EVENTS
During the summer months, Voisins in La Praille is hosting a variety of events, open to everyone – stimulating workshops, clubbing nights and fitness classes.
THE OTHER CAFÉS
Voisins Grenus – 4 place de Grenus 4, 1201 Genève – a much smaller venue with a restaurant specialising in pasta dishes.
Voisins Plainpalais – 8 rue de Voisins 8, 1205 Genève – the first Voisins Café which has an open, calm feel to it and a restaurant specialising in burgers.
FURTHER INFO: Click here.
