From traditional cubicles to smart cabins, co-working is back with a bang

Demand fuelled by hybrid work models, digital nomads, post-Covid urban loneliness

At 11 am on a rain-washed day, Akasa, a four-storey co-working space in Noida’s Sector 62, is bustling with activity. The 800-seater, Vastu-themed office, which opened in the middle of the pandemic in October 2021, is now 80 per cent occupied.

Operating out of the space – which has conference rooms with AI-enabled smart TVs, soundproof meeting pods and Alexa-driven lights – are employees of information technology (IT) firms like GNAP Services and GeoTech, and start-ups such as Khalsa EV. This mid-morning, like on other weekdays, its rooftop cafeteria is busy as people break for coffee and snacks.

Akasa