This paper aims to explore the ‘indirect’ effects of new emerging workplaces, specifically coworking spaces (CS), on the urban context, disentangling between the pole and non-pole municipalities in Italy, as defined by the National Strategy for the Inner Areas. This focus will allow us to understand whether and how CS, which is mainly an urban phenomenon, might be beneficial to non-pole areas by promoting: entrepreneurial milieu, knowledge creation by retaining knowledge workers and the creative class, social inclusion, and spatial regeneration. Although CS is becoming attractive to scholars, the ‘indirect’ effects of the diffusion of CS in contemporary cities is a rather neglected issue in the literature. Such effects are concerned about the ability that these workplaces may or may not have to affect the urban context in which they are located positively; in terms of community building (not just within the workspaces), improvement of surrounding public spaces, urban regeneration, but also alternative energy use patterns both at home and associated with travel/transportation, as well as future urban design and planning approaches. The empirical analysis is based on an online survey addressed to coworkers (CW) of the 549 CS located in Italy (January 2018). Three-quarters of the 326 respondents have declared a positive impact of their workplace/CS on the local urban context. The propensity score matching technique (counterfactual) underlined that differences arise according to the CS location (poles vs. non-pole areas). By conducting descriptive statistics and propensity score matching technique (counterfactual), according to the CW’s perception, CS located in non-pole areas exhibit a higher impact on the urban environment than those located in a “pole” municipality.
The Geography of Coworking Spaces and the Effects on the Urban Context: are pole areas gaining?
I. Mariotti;M. Akhavan;D. Di Matteo
2021-01-01
Abstract
This paper aims to explore the ‘indirect’ effects of new emerging workplaces, specifically coworking spaces (CS), on the urban context, disentangling between the pole and non-pole municipalities in Italy, as defined by the National Strategy for the Inner Areas. This focus will allow us to understand whether and how CS, which is mainly an urban phenomenon, might be beneficial to non-pole areas by promoting: entrepreneurial milieu, knowledge creation by retaining knowledge workers and the creative class, social inclusion, and spatial regeneration. Although CS is becoming attractive to scholars, the ‘indirect’ effects of the diffusion of CS in contemporary cities is a rather neglected issue in the literature. Such effects are concerned about the ability that these workplaces may or may not have to affect the urban context in which they are located positively; in terms of community building (not just within the workspaces), improvement of surrounding public spaces, urban regeneration, but also alternative energy use patterns both at home and associated with travel/transportation, as well as future urban design and planning approaches. The empirical analysis is based on an online survey addressed to coworkers (CW) of the 549 CS located in Italy (January 2018). Three-quarters of the 326 respondents have declared a positive impact of their workplace/CS on the local urban context. The propensity score matching technique (counterfactual) underlined that differences arise according to the CS location (poles vs. non-pole areas). By conducting descriptive statistics and propensity score matching technique (counterfactual), according to the CW’s perception, CS located in non-pole areas exhibit a higher impact on the urban environment than those located in a “pole” municipality.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
