Colab Café officially opened its doors to the public and offered a redefined workspace that breaks the co-working space norms while adapting café culture. Every detail in the Colab space answers the needs of a modern-day professional from their Quiet Booths for independent tasks to the Interactive Material Library that sparks ideas and inspiration.

“When we conceptualized Colab, we thought of all the struggles and pains of working beyond the office and home. We knew we needed to capture an environment that boosts productivity without limiting creativity,” said Karen Tui, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Colab. As a modern professional, home and office are no longer the only options when it comes to work. And as more people aspire to have a work-life balance, it just makes sense to create a space that enables that, Tui explained.

The thoughtfully curated space takes pride in its centerpiece, the Material Library – which showcases a wide collection of material samples, swatches, and even books and magazines about design and architecture. It also features a working pod called Quiet Booth where guests can focus on independent tasks or take online calls with minimal distractions. Round tables for both big and small groups are also available for team huddles and brainstorming. A collapsible Meeting Room is also available for more confidential discussions which is available for rent.

But what makes Colab different from a typical co-working space is its actual business model. It does not charge by the seat, instead provides a free-seating environment for its guests. “We wanted a space built by community. If we charge by the seat, it gives a restrictive environment and guests will just be limited to the seat they paid for,” argued Koko Tamura, co-founder and chief operations officer. “What we wanted to create is a community and we believe a sound community is built by shared resources, collaboration and open mindset. Most of our tables are for sharing, the community who enjoys the space will make the space sustainable by patronizing food and drinks offered at the bar, and occasionally, they would also use and rent the space to conduct talks, workshops and seminars that aims to share their knowledge. This is the Colab community that we aim to build, and that is why we designed the space and the business this way.”