Twitter, the social media company that pioneered the microblogging industry, recently announced plans to open a new office in Downtown Detroit. And rather than carving out an entire floor in the fanciest office building in town, the company has chosen to set up shop in a coworking space.
A century ago, the M@dison Building, was the first major movie theater in Detroit. The building was recently revamped by Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert to act as a digital incubator hub. Now, it's a multi-floor shared work environment especially geared toward entrepreneurs in the high tech industry.
The social media giant says that it chose Detroit to be closer to the city's automotive brands and advertising agencies. In doing so, the company will provide a boost for Motown's quickly emerging mix of automotive and digital cultures. Depending on the company's level of interaction with the businesses and mobile workers with whom it will share the space, coworking could provide Twitter with connections valuable feedback that make it such a unique work style.
Twitter is only the latest in a small but powerful group of corporations that are dabbling in coworking. Mozilla recently opened its new ‘Moz Space‘ in London, welcoming both Mozilla staff and visitors who need a place to work. Also in London, Google recently opened the doors of its start-up incubator, called 'Campus,' which will serve as a "coworking and events space."
Although the M@dison Building is much larger than the typical coworking space, offering such features as a 150-seat theater for technology events and a rooftop terrace overlooking Ford Field, it's also a place where any aspiring start up can come to rub shoulders with the the big players.
Twitter says that the Detroit office will have a “handful” of employees by the end of the year. And while it certainly has the money to afford one of the space's private offices, it's possible that these early Twitter employees will appreciate the company of fellow tech experts in the flexible desk areas.
Imagine leaning over to get a fellow coworker's opinion on a new idea, only to later find out she's the creative mind behind Twitter's newest feature. Now that would truely be a moment of coworking serendipty!
