The home office

That someone is a freelancer, growing lonely and tired of working at home alone. But now in Antwerp, freelancers can go and do just that: work, have a drink, a chat, a conference. And at the end of the day, they return home energised and cheerfully call out: "honey, I'm home!"

The Bar d'Office is a co-working café. It wants to be more than a just a bar and more than just a place to network. It believes in being both.

Co-working can lead to all sorts of collaborations within a trustworthy network of people. Co-working cafés have been an established presence in the US ever since the first one, 9 to 5, opened in San Francisco in 2005. The starting point was the desire to accommodate the ever- growing group of freelancers who felt isolated. Designed to meet their specific needs, these hubs became a success.

Now, almost simultaneously, three are opening in Antwerp. At A Space in Borgerhout you can rent an individual workspace at a long table, thus feeling surrounded by colleagues and the various necessary quips of an office. Meanwhile, over in northern Antwerp, enthusiasts were already knocking on the door of Burooz even before they opened.

Just a few streets away on Dambruggestraat, Goedroen Vanlerberghe works as a "matchmaker" at Bar d'Office. Since quietly opening last November (their splashy grand opening is next month), she has gained a good insight into where their concept, envisioned by coordinator Klara
De Smedt, might lead them in the supply and demand of the freelancers market.

Bar d'Office is divided into a coffee bar on the ground floor and a more secluded lower floor, both opening up to an airy patio. For now, it's part of the Design Centre Winkelhaak, but in the future the concept and network should thrive independently, and new locations will be set up in Kortrijk, Ghent, Leuven and Brussels. Other potential partners, such as Flanders DC, have shown interest.

Vanlerberghe makes it her priority to personally talk to anyone who wants to become a member. Therefore, you can only become a member - or an "officer", as they like to call you - if you drop by in person. In getting to know you and your projects, she hopes to be able to set you up with other members of the network who might find collaboration fruitful. She has discovered that the most unlikely of partners can surprise you.

"I truly believe in the power of collaboration," Vanlerberghe explains. As she experienced in her previous job as quality manager in banking, a lack of teamwork often proves to be a major stumbling block for many companies. Employees, who are, understandably perhaps, afraid to lose status or even their jobs, often don't trust their own colleagues enough to share ideas.

Bar d'Office sets out to bring independent members together to meet with open minds, convinced that collaboration leads to great results if given half a chance. "We feel privileged to be in a job where we can enable this process," she says.

The various matchmakers each have their own expertise and experience, ranging from starting entrepreneurship to freelancing, and all have an extensive network for referrals.

As you might expect, freelance artists and musicians are cottoning onto the Bar d'Office idea, but so are an array of other kinds of workers. Johan Coolen owns his own business, Factor 4, an energy audit company. "I'm finding the process of how they are developing their concept very inspiring," he says. "If someone can pull this off, I think they can. They have the right level of professionalism."

Not meant for a specific profession or age group, Bar d'Office aims to keep in close contact with the locals of 2060 Antwerp, a diverse and lively neighbourhood a few minutes' walk from Antwerp Central Station. "This area is perfect to not only break free from your professional cocoon, but from so much more," says Vanlerberghe. "Diversity is inspirational."

Bar d'Office even gets their provisions at local caterers, designers and sustainable coffee- roasting factories. A collection point for fresh organic fruit and vegetables has been set up in the bar.

And milk and sugar are strategically placed so that clients need to get up and go to it. "Everything to get people talking," Vanlerberghe smiles. "On all levels we try to be positive and supportive. I would like us to start soon with trainings and workshops tailored for our members."

BAR D'OFFICE IN BRIEF
> Membership is €1 a day
> A one-day free trial is available on request
> Drinks, copies, etc are added to your invoice
> Meeting room is €10/hour
> Grand Opening on 10 February
> www.bardoffice.be

Pictured: Freelancers can collaborate on a daily basis, or just find some company, at Bar d'Office