Flexible workspaces have continually accelerated in popularity and working patterns continue to change especially with the rapid speed in which technology is advancing the way we connect. However while remote working allows freedom to work from anywhere in the world, it also creates issues of loneliness and lack of community. Clockwise, operator of 15 physical flexible workspaces across the UK and Europe, has been exploring this issue to further promote authentic interaction and collaboration in a business sense. It has identified the value of digital connection and has now set its sights on the metaverse.

Due to launch in Autumn 2023, the Clockwise Campus will be inspired by Clockwise’s physical offices and provide a digital platform for its members and the public to connect, collaborate and interact in various spaces including; dedicated meeting rooms, desk spaces, breakout spaces, call zones and a contemplation space. There will also be an amphitheatre events space which will be home to an exciting schedule of large-scale events from talks and presentations to more intimate panel discussions and fireside chats from industry pioneers and inspirational figures.

Without the confinements and barriers of physical space the Clockwise Campus will be a utopian version of its traditional offering. Based on designs by its longstanding collaborator, architecture and design studio MoreySmith, it will incorporate everything that Clockwise is well known and loved for; stimulating design, varied spaces and a strong focus on wellbeing to enhance productivity; but visually the metaverse will be infinite, with a collision of abstraction, symbolism and versions of hyperrealism.

MoreySmith has identified spaces for work, socialising, interactions, and retreat whilst approaching the concept with a degree of gaming in mind. The studio has previously collaborated with Clockwise on the award-winning Generator Building in Bristol, as well as Linley House in Manchester. The design decisions are considered and have been taken to underpin Clockwise’s vision to create environments and experiences that have a positive impact on people, places and the planet.

The space includes some of the best elements of various Clockwise spaces: An infinite moat nods to Clockwise Bristol which overlooks the canal, as working alongside water is known to have a calming effect and reduce stress. Plentiful planting as found in all Clockwise buildings, and mature trees like those surrounding Wood Green, as research proves that greenery supports memory retention, improves compassion and improves air quality. Prioritising light and expansive outdoor space, both of which are celebrated as much as possible in all Clockwise locations as supporting the circadian rhythm helps with cognitive ability, aids recovery and promotes restful sleep.

Enter the Clockwise Campus as your personally-designed avatar and connect with people from different working worlds in a way that has not been done before. Every user will have the ability to access the metaverse spaces using a web browser, whether it be for meeting purposes, to attend an event, to converse or to relax and unwind - the new norm and a much more efficient way of working for many businesses and entrepreneurial minds with different working styles.

Alexandra Livesey, COO of Clockwise comments: “We are very excited to unveil our plans to launch our Clockwise Campus, the first ever workspace in the metaverse. Available to our members as an additional space for them to utilise, the Clockwise Campus will also be accessible by the wider public. By design this will facilitate further business connections and entrepreneurial collaboration - in a whole new digital dimension.

We will also use it to host an exciting programme of events; focused on leadership, innovation and wellness. Operationally it will work much like our physical Clockwise offices, but on a larger scale. It will be a place where the usual restrictions around sqft and limitations of physical buildings don’t apply, where practical considerations such as weather and maintenance are unnecessary - a sort of Clockwise utopia.”

Linda Morey-Burrows, Principal Director and Founder of MoreySmith comments: “It is incredibly exciting to be continuing our longstanding collaborative relationship with Clockwise on such a unique and future-gazing project. We were particularly inspired by the opportunity to add human elements into the meta world, by incorporating designated spaces for social interactions.

“This blend of the MoreySmith design approach with nods to the gaming industry, brings life and dimension to Clockwise Campus, and we look forward to seeing Clockwise avatars from across the world coming together in this virtual space.