Coworking firms scale up, tapping demand for bespoke office solutions

Customised, personalised solutions enable cos to command premium versus standard rentals/leases

India’s co-working landscape is moving beyond plug-and-play offices towards highly customised, sector-specific environments that blend design, technology, security, and brand-building. Leading operators like TableSpace, Awfis, IndiQube, WeWork, The Executive Centre, IWG, and more are offering bespoke solutions across industries — finance and technology to consulting and healthcare — while commanding premiums for flexibility and brand alignment.

 

Among Awfis’ 3,000-plus custom projects, a prominent one is a 165,000 square feet (sq ft) workspace for the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in Mumbai. The key requirements from the occupiers were high security, confidentiality, and technology. The project ensured advanced acoustic engineering, biometric access, and sensor-based smart controls while achieving nearly 20 per cent lower operational costs.

 

“Awfis has been at the forefront of delivering bespoke, sector-aligned workspaces through its ‘design, build, and managed’ office solutions —each tailored to a client’s unique operational model, culture, and brand identity,” said Amit Ramani, chairperson and managing director (CMD), Awfis Space Solutions.

 

Rival TableSpace redeveloped a large portion of an office space taken up by a global trucking major for its India operations, to incorporate and showcase a range of commercial vehicles belonging to the company. For offering solutions like this, the company’s in-house design, project, and technology teams work closely with clients to customise everything, from spatial planning, ergonomic layouts to information technology (IT) infrastructure and wellness features.

 

“We recognise that workspaces today are also an extension of a company’s brand. For occupiers looking to create marquee spaces that reflect their culture and leadership presence, we bring together architectural design, art, and technology to create offices that are both functional and aspirational. These flagship spaces not only meet global compliance standards but also serve as a statement of the organisation’s identity and innovation,” said Kunal Mehra, president and co-chief executive officer (CEO), Table Space.

 

Customisation is also central to IndiQube’s strategy. “Every company wants its workspace to reflect its brand ethos, culture, and values, and we have built our solutions around that philosophy,” said Meghna Agarwal, co-founder, IndiQube. Its model functions like an à la carte menu —modular, flexible, and pay-as-you-use — where clients choose everything from layouts and branding to server rooms and audio-visual (AV) setups.

 

At its Experience Centre in Bengaluru, clients can test materials and furniture before finalising designs. “Our catalogue has over 1,000 furniture stock keeping units (SKUs), enabling clients to mix and match options to suit their brand identity,” Agarwal said. While customisation attracts a premium, she added that “clients pay only for what they use”, making the model transparent and sustainable.

 

Banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) firms seek secure zones, tech companies prefer open collaboration areas, and creative or legal firms demand studios and research libraries. Customisation is enabling co-working space providers to become strategic partners to clients, delivering design-and-build capabilities, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) alignment, and pan-India consistency.

 

“Many of our clients are global enterprises, and global capability centres (GCCs) that operate in highly regulated environments, and have stringent requirements around security, data privacy, and compliance. So, we design and deliver workspaces with enterprise-grade infrastructure, including multi-layer access control, segregated networks, dedicated data rooms, and real-time monitoring systems — all aligned with global IT and security standards,” Mehra added.

 

According to Cushman & Wakefield, India now has one of the world’s most mature flexible office ecosystems. Since 2020, flex demand has surged six-fold, driven by occupiers seeking shorter commitments and managed solutions. In 2024, flexible spaces accounted for 15 per cent of total new office leasing, confirming their mainstream adoption.

 

Naveen Nandwani, managing director (MD), commercial advisory and transactions, Savills India, said: “The flex space industry has evolved far beyond the early co-working model. What they (clients) are really paying for is agility, efficiency, and freedom from operational friction.”

 

Industry experts say this marks a redefinition of workspace value and hence the premiums on rentals, even though they may vary depending on the levels of customisation and the complexity.

 

“Co-working firms now deliver customised environments aligned to specific industries — from tech firms needing multi-level power backups to healthcare clients requiring consulting rooms and enhanced privacy,” said Anuj Puri, chairperson, Anarock group.

 

In Hyderabad, Awfis designed Verdant Vibes for Zinnov — an innovation-led, biophilic workspace integrating modular layouts, natural light, and ergonomic design.

 

Ramani said Awfis commands a value premium by turning workspace from a static cost into a strategic enabler. Clients pay for a unified model integrating design, build, and facility management — eliminating upfront capex. Bespoke layouts, wellness zones, and sustainability-driven design allow Awfis to charge more than traditional leases while improving efficiency.