Meeting the Growing Demand for Flexible Office Spaces

The relationship with the office has shifted dramatically over the past five years. Like many cities, Geneva is seeing a transformation in its office real estate market. “Many companies are downsizing their fixed workstations. A company with 40 employees no longer looks for 40 desks — often, 20 are enough”, says Anthony Zamora, co-director of Voisins and operator of The Big Desk.

At the same time, the demand for more flexible solutions is increasing, particularly in Geneva, where the share of serviced office space has nearly doubled in the past year, rising from 0.7% to 1.7% of the market. “Everyone is asking for flexibility. Even some large corporations are now reluctant to sign five to ten-year leases,” notes Jessica Graça, BIRD asset manager for Swiss Life, which owns the building.

This shift is partly driven by the fact that a significant portion of vacant office space no longer meets modern standards — especially regarding energy efficiency. “Today’s companies are looking for contemporary, Minergie-certified buildings in prime locations, ideally near train stations or tram lines”, Zamora adds.

This is the context in which The Big Desk was conceived — a suite of fully equipped offices and meeting rooms now occupying the sixth floor of the BIRD. “It was the missing link in our offering. Until now, we had either small offices for 1 to 8 people or large open spaces of several hundred square meters”, explains Zamora.

The new floor includes 13 offices of various sizes (ranging from 15 to 97 square meters), available with flexible service contracts from 3 to 24 months. It also features meeting rooms and shared communal areas. The concept targets a broad audience: local SMEs, international firms exploring the region, and freelancers seeking a high-end work environment.

User experience is another cornerstone of the project. "From themed breakfasts and afterworks to yoga classes and exclusive perks, premium services — usually reserved for larger firms — are now accessible to smaller businesses", underlines Graça.

The interior design was developed in collaboration with architecture firm Group8 and furnished with ergonomic, designer pieces by Kinnarps. “We created a nap room —  still rare in Geneva — and a creative ‘Spark Room’ designed to encourage off-screen brainstorming. You can write on the walls, move the furniture, pin up ideas — it’s perfect for boosting collective intelligence”, says Zamora.

Another standout feature is the Mega Board Room, designed to host up to 30 people. “There’s real demand for large formal venues, capable of hosting board meetings.”

The Big Desk will open for rentals in June, with an official launch event scheduled for September.