A different kind of flex conversation | Hector Kolonas of This Week In Coworking

In this episode of Imagine a Place, host Wesley Edmonds shares a few standout moments from her conversation with Hector Kolonas, founder of This Week in Coworking. From coworking spaces in train stations to the role automation and AI are playing in furniture manufacturing, they explore what it really means to create human-centered work experiences, and why flex is so much bigger than a single model.

Key Insights

1. Flex space is a human-centered mindset that brings productive work environments to people wherever they are, including nontraditional locations like train stations.
2. Coworking extends far beyond the familiar WeWork-style model and can take many forms based on people’s needs and surroundings.
3. Automation can address labor shortages and create new opportunities by increasing manufacturing output without eliminating existing jobs.
4. AI-driven manufacturing can shorten lead times, optimize materials, and reduce product damage by limiting unnecessary handling.
5. Technology preserves the human side of work when it frees people to focus on tasks that require judgment, care, and a personal touch.
6. Thoughtful design should reduce friction, expand access, and help people do their best work rather than simply follow trends.
    

Learn more about Hector Kolonas
Hector Kolonas is a coworking technologist, entrepreneur, and community builder exploring the intersection of flexible workspaces and technology. He is the co-founder of Syncaroo and curator of This Week in Coworking. Previously, he founded included.co, growing its global perks network to serve more than 700 communities and 133,000 members. Connect with Hector on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Wesley Edmonds
Wesley Edmonds is the Director of Workplace at OFS, where she combines her background in interior design with a passion for relationship-building, workplace strategy, and the future of work. After beginning her career as a commercial interior designer, Wesley transitioned into the furniture industry, bringing together design expertise and business development to help create more thoughtful, human-centered environments. As a contributor to Imagine a Place and host of In the ROOM, she is dedicated to fostering meaningful conversations that inspire designers, challenge industry thinking, and explore how the spaces we create shape the way people live and work. Connect with Wesley on LinkedIn.

Read More about Wesley in the Imagine a Place Journal

Learn more about Imagine a Place
Imagine a Place gathers industry-leading voices that can inspire the design community through storytelling and broaden our creative horizons. The goal of Imagine a Place is to further elevate the belief that the places we make and the ways we design them matter in our lives. Follow Imagine a Place on LinkedIn.

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