The city is filled with individuals bursting with ideas and creativity. Most of them work from home or from cafés as they do not have office space, and interact with people via e-mails and video conferences. While the Internet has been a huge help for such people, what it fails to provide is the physical interaction that an office does.
In the hustle and bustle of Hauz Khas Village there exists a collaborative space overlooking the lake that provides like-minded and different-minded people an environment to work that is not as rigid as an office nor is it as informal as working from home.
Social Offline offers 50 workstations on one floor with a conference room attached and facilities like WiFi, LCD screens, stationery and projectors to people who are looking for an oasis of creativity to work in. What sets the place apart is that it also has a restaurant and a bar attached so that the workspace can seamlessly become a space to chill to encourage interaction between people.
Digital media consultant Kabir, who used to work out of a café in Khan Market before becoming a regular at Social Offline, says: “The setup offers me a silent place to work where people respect the idea of privacy, but at the same time when you are taking a break or want to get an opinion from someone there are people from different fields ready to help and collaborate with you.”
Pranav, the culture manager of the restaurant, says since the place opened its doors in July and have received numerous requests for membership. As there are just 50 spots available, they have to put applicants through a screening process to ensure that they can gel well with the work culture of the place.
“We charge Rs.5,000 per month, which is completely redeemable on food and beverages. We have received a positive response and are planning to expand so that more people can avail the facility.”
The place turns into a bar after work hours, when members invite friends and unwind. Designer Nav Chatterji says the seamless integration of work and play provides a culture where you meet a lot of interesting people that not only become your friends but also fuel ideas and expand your network.
Spending time at Social Offline you meet many people who share stories about how the place has helped their business grow in a short span and there are numerous examples of youngsters as well as experienced professionals collaborating to create exciting and new concepts. With more people choosing to stay away from 9-to-5-jobs and looking to start something on their own the concept is sure to become a culture in the city.
