What Office Club stands for
Four principles that have shaped the concept from day one
Office Club specialises in co-working spaces, offices, meeting rooms and business addresses. Founded in Berlin in 2011, we now operate across 20 locations in Germany, Italy and Switzerland, with over 10,000 members and around 100 on-site staff. Our roots date back to 1984 – and we have a clear goal of becoming one of Europe’s leading providers of flexible working solutions.
01 – A better working place
Good work starts with a good workplace. That was our driving force in 2011, and it remains so to this day. Office Club embodies a vision of ‘New Work’ in which people and work work together – not against each other. People who feel at home in their workplace perform better. That, too, is a fact.
02 – Community rather than a larger space
Office Club isn’t just another coworking space with an anonymous helpline, but a club in the truest sense of the word: shared addresses, shared cafés, shared ideas. Anyone who joins us here will know their neighbours within two weeks – and often have their first new business partners within three months.
03 – Flexibility that grows with you
From a solo desk to a team office, from a virtual office to a registered business address, from a one-off meeting to a permanent setup. Memberships can be customised, locations changed, and contract terms kept short. Office Club grows alongside businesses – and scales back again should the need arise.
04 – Sustainable, high-quality, honest
High-quality, durable furnishings rather than disposable designs. Refurbishments that work with the existing structure, not against it. Electricity from renewable sources. Fair, transparent prices rather than small print. It sounds like common sense – and that’s exactly how we see it.
What makes Office Club special
Three things we take particularly seriously
A real community, not an open-plan office
Office Club thrives on the people who work here – freelancers, start-up founders, teams from established companies, and business travellers. What unites them is the desire for a place to work that is more than just a desk. Our on-site community managers create an atmosphere that encourages conversation. And sometimes, that leads to the next business opportunity.
Flexibility that fits the business model
Three people for two months? A virtual office with a postal service? A meeting room for the day after tomorrow? Office Club is designed so that memberships adapt to your needs – not the other way round. Members can switch between locations, scale up or down, and remain within a system that adapts to their needs.
Service by name rather than ticket number
Around 100 people ensure that Office Club runs smoothly – at all our locations across all countries. Our local team knows our members by name, not by a customer number. And your enquiries don’t end up in a call centre, but on a desk in the same town, where you can receive personalised assistance.
How it came about
In conversation with Office Club founders Simon Schier and Philipp Roth
Hello Simon, hello Philipp! You are the two founders of Office Club. How did the idea to set up a coworking club come about?
Simon: We actually come from the world of online marketing and had basically nothing to do with coworking or office services. The idea simply arose from our own specific needs as founders. We discovered co-working on a business trip to the US – the concept interested us and we sat down straight after returning to start making our first plans. The approach was quite simple: we’ve got something here that’s incredibly interesting and, as a bonus, can solve many of the problems we ourselves have to deal with on a daily basis.
Where did you start?
Philipp: We worked partly from home and then for a while from a business centre here in Berlin, and quickly realised: this isn’t the environment that’s best for our company or for us personally.
What specifically did you miss there?
Philipp: Working from home, we clearly lacked structure in our daily lives and a reasonably clear separation between work and private life. As founders, you’re always under pressure, trying to get as much done as possible straight away or to think everything through in advance. It helps, especially for your head, to be able to close an ‘office door’ behind you in the evening that isn’t also the living room door. That was of course possible at the business centre, but the sterile atmosphere put us off. In our experience, it’s very important for founders to communicate face-to-face and to soak up the atmosphere around them every now and then.
A lot has happened in the coworking sector since Office Club was founded. How have you experienced this development yourselves?
Simon: That’s true; since 2010, when we ventured into the Office Club concept and coworking in Europe was still in its infancy, an incredible amount has happened. We notice this above all in the fact that nowadays many people immediately recognise the term ‘coworking’. Either because they’ve had their own experiences with coworking or have at least heard about it from colleagues or the media. A few years ago, you often had to resort to descriptions like ‘something like a shared office, only bigger and better’ to somehow explain the concept to the person you were talking to. The boundaries are, of course, somewhat fluid. Today there is a very dynamic coworking market where virtually anyone interested can find a suitable coworking space to suit their needs – whether that’s a high-end design space or more of an artist community. That’s brilliant!
Today, a good fifteen years on – where does Office Club stand?
Simon: At 20 locations across three countries, with over 10,000 members and around 100 colleagues. That wasn’t the plan back in 2011. We had our hands full just getting the one location in Prenzlauer Berg off to a good start. What hasn’t changed: Office Club is still a labour of love, still rooted in Berlin and still closer to a boutique hotel than a corporate office chain. We want it to stay that way.
What’s next?
Philipp: We want to become one of Europe’s leading providers of flexible working. Not the biggest – we’re happy to leave that to others. But the one where you feel most at home. Three countries are a good start. Milan and Zurich have shown how quickly the concept can be adapted to a different environment without losing its soul. There’s still more to come.
As founders, what advice can you give to aspiring young entrepreneurs?
Simon: “Talk to people”! Most of our inspiration as entrepreneurs has come from personal conversations, direct contacts and regular exchanges with like-minded people.
Why Office Club?
Flexible workspaces that provide room for your ideas and visions
With Office Club, you can work in an inspiring atmosphere at the city’s best locations and enjoy the flexibility to switch between our clubs – all at a fraction of the cost of having your own office. Office Club is a concept for anyone who doesn’t want to commit to five-year leases. Rates that can be adjusted monthly. Business addresses that are valid for correspondence, not just for show. And a reception team that greets you in the morning because they were there yesterday too. Everything is ready to go straight away, so you can focus on what matters most: your business.
- Rent
- Furnishing
- Cleaning
- Power & Internet
- Reception Team
- Safety
What makes Office Club different
Four things that set us apart
A boutique rather than a corporation
Office Club operates around 20 branches, not 200. That’s by design. Being boutique-sized means we know our members, our branches and our unique characteristics. Decisions can be made without having to run them through five compliance departments.
Fair prices, no lock-ins
Memberships are very flexible. Prices are clearly listed online. No hidden costs, no long-term commitments, no complicated contract clauses. If you no longer need Office Club, you can leave. If you need more, you get more.
Real people, real locations
Office Club isn’t just a postbox in a back-of-the-building stairwell. At every location, there’s a team on hand to make coffee in the morning, take parcels, prepare rooms and lock up in the evening. Personal, approachable, and always there for you.
European standards
We think on a European scale. We’re starting with three countries today. Our goal: to become one of Europe’s leading providers of flexible working solutions. Not the biggest, but the one where you feel most at home.
Reviews
from satisfied Office Club members
Questions and Answers
The questions we’re asked most often
Who is behind Office Club?
Office Club was founded in Berlin in 2011 by Simon Schier and Philipp Roth. Both have a background in online marketing and remain actively involved in the day-to-day running of the business. Today, the company employs around 100 people across 20 locations in Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
How long has Office Club been around?
Office Club itself has been in existence since 2011. Its first branch opened in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district. However, the concept of the business centre – from which modern co-working spaces have evolved – dates back to 1984 in Germany: that was when Peter Dussmann opened the country’s first business centre. In 2022, Office Club took over the former Dussmann sites and integrated them into its own concept.
In which locations does Office Club have branches?
Office Club currently operates 20 locations across three countries: Berlin (5), Hamburg, Hanover, Düsseldorf, Cologne (2), Frankfurt am Main (2), Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Munich, Potsdam, Milan (2), Zurich and Zug-Baar. The list is growing – new additions will be announced on the location pages and in the Clubletter.
What sets Office Club apart from other providers?
Office Club is sometimes a little smaller and deliberately positions itself as a boutique provider. In practical terms, this means: personalised service from on-site teams, memberships that can be cancelled at any time, transparent pricing, and a portfolio of locations that prioritises quality over quantity. It feels more like a hotel than an office platform.
What does ‘Club’ mean in the context of Office Club?
A club is more than just a tenancy agreement. Members share spaces, cafés, facilities and – ideally – ideas too. The term embodies a shared philosophy: that working days are better when you don’t spend them alone.
Who can become a member?
Office Club works just as well for solo freelancers as it does for teams. It’s also the perfect solution for business travellers who regularly visit a particular city and for companies that need a registered business address. Memberships can be tailored to suit your specific situation – no one is excluded.
Is Office Club sustainable?
At Office Club, sustainability starts with our existing buildings: rather than building new premises, we focus on refurbishing the spaces we already have. The fittings are high-quality and designed to last. Electricity comes from renewable sources, the cafés prioritise sourcing local drinks and snacks, and waste separation is standard practice. There is still plenty of room for improvement – and that’s what we’re working on.
How can I find out more about Office Club?
The easiest way is to book a free tour: choose a location, arrange a time, and pop in. Alternatively, book a day pass and spend a whole working day at the club. Both options can be arranged easily online or by phone.
Office Club in the media
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