Silversquare opens an eighth coworking location

Just one year after the opening of Silversquare Bailli, Silversquare Central is now also open for business in a prime location opposite Brussels Central Station, right in the heart of the capital. And business is booming, with 65% of the available private offices already rented out. Not even a pandemic can curb the enthusiasm and the ambition of the coworking pioneer. “We are more determined than ever to build a strong network right across Belgium over the next few years,” says Axel Kuborn, one of Silversquare’s founders. “Coworking has not yet reached its peak. We have seen a growth in the need for greater flexibility over the past year and are able to respond to this evolution perfectly, thanks to our broad range of office solutions. We will be opening a new location in Brussels’ Northern Quarter in early 2022, followed by Liege, Antwerp and Louvain-La-Neuve”. 

MANIERA is key in Central

Silversquare always collaborates with well-known artists and designers on the interior design of their coworking locations. The building at the Brussels Central train station is no exception and includes many unique creations by both artists and architects, each one carefully selected by the highly respected Belgian artist collective MANIERA. Under the leadership of its founders, Amaryllis Jacobs and Kwinten Lavigne, the various designers and architects worked together to create furniture and other objects for a multi-functional workspace of around 5,700 m², providing office space and facilities for at least 650 entrepreneurs. Silversquare Central has been designed for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs, and perfectly reflects the vision of Silversquare founders Alexandre Ponchon and Alex Kuborn.

Brussels is becoming too small

Silversquare Bailli and Silversquare Central are now fully operational, but Silversquare continues to forge ahead and will soon be adding a ninth location to its ever-expanding portfolio in the Belgian and European capital: Silversquare Kanal. After that, Silversquare will be extending its reach further, as Liege, Antwerp and Louvain-la-Neuve become the next host cities for the Belgian coworking pioneer. And these are not random choices. “The choice of each location is always based upon a clear and well-thought-out strategy” explains Alexandre Ponchon, Silversquare’s co-founder. “It was a conscious decision to focus first on Brussels (and Zaventem) to enable us to establish a firm base from which we then could expand into other bigger Belgian cities. By the end of this year, we will have completed the first stage of our strategic plan, and at that point we will start on the second stage. Thanks to our partner Befimmo, a Belgian company specialising in office real estate, we will be able to invest further in new coworking spaces”.

Working in coworking spaces

So now it is back to work, literally. Now that the corona storm in our country finally seems to be subsiding, we can start to physically go back to the office again, although the word “office” now has a much broader context. Last year’s lockdowns have added new weight to the notion of homeworking.

“Offices are still important, but in the future, they will be used in a different way”, says Alexandre Ponchon. “The office will become a place where it is pleasant to work together, a place to stimulate professional motivation and wellbeing. Offices will be used more for important meetings and brainstorming, and less for daily administrative work. There is a need for a mix of traditional office spaces, homeworking and coworking spaces: something for everyone. This mix is the cornerstone of the co-operation between Silversquare and Befimmo: together, we are an office solutions powerhouse. And Central will be our flagship, the place where all these solutions come together.”

“Coworking is a welcome alternative for freelancers. In the freelance economy, the needs of today and tomorrow are not necessarily the same. Freelancers are very flexible and expect the same from their working environment. They need hubs that give them the freedom to be creative. But we also offer good solutions for small and medium-sized businesses”, adds Alex Kuborn. “They often prefer our private offices. That way, they can combine privacy with a creative and lively working space. At least 70% of Silversquare’s income comes from private offices for 20 to 30 people.”

About Befimmo

Befimmo is a real-estate investor and operator and a Belgian Real-Estate Investment Trust (SIR-GVV). Focused on office buildings, meeting centres and coworking spaces, our high-quality portfolio is located in Brussels, the main Belgian towns and cities, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is worth about €2.7 billion and comprises 63 office buildings and 8 coworking spaces.

Befimmo aims to create environments where people can work, meet, share, and live. We are a facilitator of enterprises, entrepreneurs, and their teams. In partnership with our specialised subsidiary Silversquare, we operate coworking spaces and are jointly developing a Belux network of flexible workspaces. Our goal is to become a one-stop-shop that offers organisations, businesses, entrepreneurs, and their teams different office combinations fully in line with their needs and provides the full range of solutions for tomorrow’s hybrid work environment.

As an organisation that is human and responsible, we offer inspiring spaces and related services and facilities, in sustainable buildings. Our three commitments - ‘Provide and Rethink Workspaces’, ‘Transform Cities’ and ‘Be Responsible’ - form the basis of the integrated CSR ambitions summarised in our 2030 Action Plan.

About Silversquare

Silversquare is the pioneer of coworking spaces, created by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. They work with artists and designers to give the workplaces extra charisma. Efficiency is one thing, but atmosphere is just as important to create an environment in which you can be productive. For Silversquare, entrepreneurship is key. Silversquare has 40 enthusiastic employees and no fewer than 2,500 members. It operates eight unique coworking spaces in Brussels, Zaventem and Luxembourg over a total area of 32,700 m².