| The main floor entry reader is programmed to automatically open during normal business hours |
In 2007 a pair of clever entrepreneurs, Susan Evans and Jacob Sayles perceived a need for people like themselves; solo workers who don’t have a permanent office, but who miss the vibrancy and community of a populated work space. To cater to a growing population of Seattle’s nomadic workforce, Evans and Sayles decided to open one of Seattle’s first “coworking” office spaces.
Keeping track of residents
Located on the second floor of a building in the Capitol Hill area of the city, Office Nomads provides 5,000 square feet of office space for a variety of telecommuters and entrepreneurs from software developers, , planners, consultants, publishers, organisers and students to name a few; all of whom believe that people can get more done together than working alone.
Office Nomads provides all the normal necessities: desks, chairs, printers, fax machines, conference rooms, a kitchen and Wi-Fi. And, there's also a shower and a lounging area with a TV, couches and board and video games. Local art lines the walls, and indie music plays softly overhead. “We want our coworkers to feel as though they have truly left the land of cubicles and have found a refuge that not only encourages them to be productive, but to also lets them have a great time,” says cofounder Susan Evans. “Our office is designed to be open, encouraging coworkers to see and speak to one another throughout the day.”
The concept certainly works. The Office Nomads office currently serves over 100 members ranging from a single day drop-ins to “Residents” who have 24/7 access and a permanently assigned desk space. So, instead of going to a coffee shop or working at home alone, Nomads enjoy office banter, and all the amenities of an office space without the hierarchy of a corporate employer or the isolation of working alone.
Access to the office space is controlled by an ISONAS access control system, with a door reader at the 1st floor building entrance and another reader at the main door to the 2d floor office space which is paired with a video surveillance camera at the 2d floor location. Key cards are assigned to all Residents for their 24 hour/7days a week access privileges.
The main floor entry reader is programmed to automatically open during normal business hours during the week. The system is managed locally with the ISONAS Crystal Matrix software suite, allowing easy adding and deleting of members, or changing of scheduled access periods as the need arises. “We are able to provide our members the kind of access they want to our space without having to staff the space 24/7”, says Ms. Evans. “In addition we wanted the system we used to be easy for the members to be here on their own, and even to host afterhours events if they choose to. Our security system, including ISONAS card readers, is part of what makes our members feel comfortable and secure within our space.”