Serviced Offices & Coworking Spaces Turkey

Turkey, a land of contrasts and creativity, is no exception to the global coworking wave. Between Istanbul, a veritable anthill of ideas, and Antalya, where business discussions take place overlooking the turquoise sea, the concept of coworking spaces is taking root as fast as the cafés are opening in the trendy Kadıköy district. Shaking up the old image of the cramped office, these hybrid spaces appeal as much to startups eager to network as to freelancers addicted to stable wifi and bottomless coffee. Renting an office today in Izmir or Ankara? You might as well opt for an office rental that's far more flexible than the grumpy landlord on the 6th floor. Focus on this phenomenon that's revolutionizing Turkish working life.

Why is coworking so popular in Turkey?

The days when everyone was stuck behind the same desk for ten years seem as remote as a forgotten episode of 'Dallas'. Today, remote working is on the rise, and Turkey is following suit. Whether you're looking out over the Bosphorus from a zen room or planning your day between two impromptu meetings in the center of Antalya, flexible workspaces are changing the game and becoming essential.

These new models offer a break from routine. Freelancers appreciate the energizing ambience, while companies find what they need in modular office rentals, which are truly turnkey solutions. There's no need to bother with a cleaning lady or negotiate an Internet contract: just turn up, sit down, plug in your laptop and get productive. Corpoworking has never been so popular with companies looking for simplicity and efficiency.

Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara: which cities are driving the coworking market?

It's impossible to talk aboutcoworking spaces in Turkey without mentioning the major metropolises, veritable professional melting-pots. In Istanbul, it's impossible to count on one's fingers the number of shared offices around Galata or Levent. The city attracts digital nomads as well as local entrepreneurs eager to meet international profiles who come to take advantage of a dynamic tech scene.

Ankara is no exception. In the political capital, demand is exploding, driven by the rise of tech startups and the development of the public-private sector. As for Izmir, nicknamed "the pearl of the Aegean", it's seductive for its climate and the relaxed atmosphere of its seaside open spaces - anything but a cliché. These three cities embody the vitality of the coworking market in Turkey.

Which neighborhoods are the best places to set up a coworking space?

In Istanbul, the following neighborhoods are the heart of the coworking scene:

• Karaköy: arty atmosphere, perfect for digital startups
• Şişli: central, close to transport links, highly sought-after by freelancers
• Moda (Kadıköy): relaxed atmosphere for digital nomads and creatives
• Maslak: ultra-connected business zone, prime spot for corpoworking

Flexible spaces also abound between Bornova in Izmir and Çankaya in Ankara, always guaranteeing to bump into a fintech expert or a Java developer between two passionate discussions about the best local specialty at lunchtime.

Adana, Bursa and even Antalya are seeing the emergence of solutions tailored to SMEs and the self-employed alike. In each of these cities, the need for connected and inspiring places is paramount, especially in view of the explosion in telecommuting and professional mobility.

Which regions attract digital nomads in Turkey?

The sun-drenched south of the country has seen the arrival of a new wave of mobile workers. Antalya and Bodrum, true havens for those fleeing the dreariness, combine quality of life with broadband connectivity. A young, multicultural local scene is emerging, bringing together freelancers in search of seaside inspiration.

Antalya takes on the air of a Mediterranean mini-Silicon Valley when European entrepreneurs, Turkish workers and marketing experts come to brainstorm under the palm trees. Bordered by beaches, filled with cafés and shared spaces, this region is a perfect example of how the future of the flexible office can sometimes be found in an extraordinary setting.

Between flexibility and services: what do Turkish companies expect?

Let's be clear: rigidity is a thing of the past. Flexibility has never been so popular on the job market. Companies are looking for simplicity, adaptability and plug-and-play solutions, capable of accompanying their dazzling growth... or their sudden slowdowns. The floating office, like a mobile subscription, can be changed, enlarged or reduced without drastic notice.

Rapid access to private office rental or virtual offices attracts fast-changing structures that want to invest only in what they really need. Gone are the concrete three-year leases, replaced by month-by-month flexibility. Employees appreciate the range of services available, from state-of-the-art meeting rooms to fully-equipped kitchens - the perfect antidote to the monotony of instant noodles.

What services do Turkish coworking spaces generally offer?

When it comes to services, it's hard to beat some of Istanbul's coworking spaces:

• Closed private offices for last-minute brainstorming sessions
• Meeting rooms of various sizes, equipped with video projectors
• Complete welcome kits: coffee, tea, printers and secure lockers
• Virtual offices offering business address and mail management
• Access to regularnetworking events, sometimes late into the evening

It's enough to organize a Zoom marathon or celebrate a fund-raising event without leaving your open space. The offer is also evolving towards corpoworking, a kind of managerial coworking designed for large corporate teams. Here, every detail is designed to facilitate group life, right down to the integrated concierge service.

Some spaces go even further, offering crèches, podcast studios, green terraces or, for the more eccentric, weekly yoga sessions. There's never a dull moment in this world, where adaptability is the watchword from floor to ceiling.

How do you choose: open space, private office, virtual office?

The best way to navigate between offers is to draw up a table of specific needs. Small team of freelancers? An open space will do the trick. Need privacy to handle sensitive files? A private office with secure access is preferable. Want to send a business card stamped Istanbul without setting foot there all year round? That's the real advantage of virtual offices.

In the end, it all depends on the level of confidentiality required, the volume of interactions desired and the length of time needed. Some swear by the collective energy of open spaces, while others prefer to work enclosed in a quiet bubble. And since you have to move with the times, there's nothing to stop you switching from one formula to another according to the seasons and the projects of the moment.

Towards a turnkey office culture: Turkey opens up to the world

We are witnessing a remarkable evolution in the notion of shared offices. It's no longer just a question of saving money, but of everyday convenience. Start-ups are dreaming of integrating stimulating, customizable spaces, where a simple rented office in a private home used to offer little more than a rickety chair and lukewarm coffee.

The trend is now towards flexible space, with hotel-style services. With the boom in telecommuting and digital professions, physical boundaries are gradually breaking down. Istanbul is home to as many Brazilian freelancers as designers from Europe, all attracted by the cultural diversity and openness of the Turkish tech scene.

Which profiles are benefiting from the coworking boom?

This eclectic mix sees several populations cohabiting:

• Start-ups in their growth phase, taking advantage of the modularity of the rentals
• Digital nomads with atypical backgrounds, appreciating the richness of intercultural exchanges
• Specialized freelancers, happy to work together on common projects
• Digital artisans and creatives in search of new collaborations

In every space, a palpable effervescence reigns, conducive to innovation and the multiplication of professional opportunities. Old-fashioned gray offices seem almost outdated in the face of this new generation of spaces designed to energize talent.

With the acceleration of remote working and the race to reduce real estate budgets, it's a safe bet that the shared office culture will continue to transform the Turkish business environment. And this is true whether you decide to tackle the day in front of the Bosphorus, near the Kemeralti bazaar in Izmir or in the shade of a hundred-year-old elm tree in Ankara.