James Pooley, our resident architect

I started using the SPACE4 co-working space for my independent architect practice in 2024 as I realised that I had reached the limit of what was possible in cafes and the kitchen table. I took the opportunity to start on the 10-days-a-month rolling contract to test whether this was going to work for me. I soon found that this place offered a rare balance of quiet desk spaces that boosted my productivity whilst the communal dining table and kitchen provided a great opportunity to meet others in the space and learn about what they are doing. It wasn’t long before I upgraded my membership to full time.

After a few months I started to attend the structural networking events held regularly at SPACE4. This was such a refreshing change to the standard networking events, dishing out business cards. The cooperative spirit in the room and eagerness to help the attendees is unlike any networking event I’ve experienced before. I find my mind whirring after the meeting, scanning through my mental Filofax and trying to link people with what they need. It has also brought me interesting projects to work on, allowing my business to grow in exciting directions over the next year.

This friendly space offers many other workshops from the wise experts who share the space, ranging from ethical economics to understanding AI. It gives you the opportunity to push your business in so many different directions, the opportunities to grow are just mind blowing.