The benefits of shared office space

More than just a place to work

In creative industries like architecture and architectural visualisation, the place we work from matters deeply. It shapes our focus, our energy, our ideas and even our sense of identity. Since the advent of Wigwam Visual we have been based both at our home office and at shared office spaces. Sometimes our hand was forced by a pandemic, sometimes it was a choice to spend more time at home but for quite some time now we have been sharing an office in the heart of Bristol with other visualisers, designers, VFX artists among many other creative professions.

For us, sharing office space has become far more than a practical solution. It’s been a catalyst for collaboration, a quiet confidence boost, and a subtle but steady way to grow not just our network, but our team.

From Isolation to Connection

When working from home, it’s easy to slip into a rhythm that becomes disconnected, not just from the industry, but from the creative momentum that comes from being around others doing similar work. Ideas can be stifled when there’s no one nearby to bounce them off, refine, or challenge them.

You don’t always need structured collaboration to benefit from shared space. Sometimes all it takes is overhearing someone wrestling with a similar deadline or figuring out a workaround in 3DS Max, Photoshop or Unreal Engine. These micro-moments of resonance quietly reinforce that you're not doing this alone.

As well as the professional benefits of sharing the office space, I have made great friends and reignited a passion for mountain biking. Now heading out as often as possible to Ashton Court, Leigh Woods and further afield into Wales.

A growing team

One of the most unexpected and valuable outcomes of working from a shared office has been how naturally it’s enabled us to grow our team.

Hiring full-time staff in a one-person studio is a big leap. But in a shared space, you’re already surrounded by freelancers and independents who have their own rhythm, their own clients, and a deep well of experience. We’ve had the chance to trial working relationships gently not through formal interviews, but through proximity, trust, and mutual respect. 

Being in the same space has made it easy to align, adapt, and grow together. This kind of flexible, relationship-driven team building simply wouldn’t have been possible from a private office or from home. We are able to unify our different skill sets to create a better offering to our clients.

Shared Tools, Shared Standards

There’s also the practical layer. Shared resources such as 3D models, textures, and other assets as well as our ever growing render farm, enabling us to render faster and more environmentally and economically friendly than ever before. Because everyone in the space is working towards quality outcomes, we help to review each others work, we share tips, shortcuts and valuable industry insights through our own professional experiences.

Staying Grounded in the City

Finally, sharing office space has helped us feel more grounded in Bristol, the city we call home. It’s easy to underestimate the psychological and physical benefits of commuting. Cycling 14km a day, seeing the city wake up in the morning, seeing it morph from work to play in the evenings.. It reminds you you’re part of a city. You see its seasons change. You build micro-routines: the café stop, the lunchtime walk, the nods to familiar faces in neighbouring studios.

For a profession that’s often digital, pixel-based, and occasionally abstract, that grounding in place that sense of being here, is invaluable.

A Quiet Foundation for Growth

Looking back, choosing to share office space didn’t feel like a grand strategic move. It just felt like the right space, the right people and the right time. It’s become one of the most important decisions we’ve made.

It’s helped us stay close to our industry. It’s helped us meet talented, like-minded people. It’s helped us share tools, ideas, even workloads.

If you’re a solo practitioner, freelancer, or small studio trying to find your footing, don’t underestimate what the right shared space can do. It might not just be a place to work. It might be the quiet foundation your next stage of growth is waiting for. We are based at Spike Island Artspace, feel free to come and meet us for a coffee at Emmeline. There are sometimes desks available in our space and surrounding offices so do feel free to get in touch.