Author: Zosia Nadolska

The day of December 5 will be remembered for a long time… On that day in Olivia we were together, in the spirit of Christmas. First at the Christmas Variety Market and in the evening at the wonderful Olivia Choir Concert. Both events attracted crowds of guests, for which we are very, very grateful! Together with you, we created the real magic of Christmas…

From the early hours, you could find real gems of handicrafts at the fair’s stands: from soy candles, through unique bracelets, to natural cosmetics and beautiful crochet masterpieces. There were also ceramics, calendars and practical bags and waist bags. Christmas delicacies and traditional dishes awaited gourmets, which reminded them that Christmas is just around the corner. There was live music and decorating the Christmas tree together, which integrated the participants in the spirit of the upcoming holidays.

We would like to thank all the Exhibitors, including our Residents, among whom were: Vittera, Michał (EPAM) with the company “Onataka”, Magda (Olivia Star TOP) and “Szmatki Madki”, Zachcianki, Gorąco Polecam and Natka. This event wouldn’t be the same without you!

Just two hours after the end of the fair, the Christmas magic moved to the stage, which was set up in the lobby of Olivia Star. At 6:00 p.m., the atmospheric, festive concert of the Olivia Centre Choir began. It brought a lot of joy and emotions. The choir delighted with the arrangements of Christmas carols, performed in many languages and musical journeys to various corners of the world… The soloists also presented their talents. There were Christmas hits, there were carols and – it could not be otherwise – there was singing together with the guests of the event. During the concert, children could decorate gingerbread – to munch on the spot or take home with them. Adults were served aromatic coffee and tea, prepared in a coffee bike, which became an additional attraction of the evening.

We would like to thank everyone who visited Olivia Centre and the Olivia Centre Choir on that day.
It was an unforgettable beginning of December and a magical introduction to the Christmas atmosphere.

The office, as a workplace, has been subject to revolutionary changes for several years. Today’s solutions have been used for years in coworking spaces (shared offices), which are currently experiencing dynamic development and expanding the group of customers. This is thanks to the use of know-how gained over the years. Currently, their experience should be used by every player on the office market.

The example of the O4 coworking space in Gdańsk, located in Olivia Centre in Gdańsk, allows us to see the benefits of using shared offices by both developing enterprises and the largest global corporations. Even universities have started to notice their offer, locating research and development projects there. This benefits both the coworking spaces themselves, their tenants, and business centers that allow operators to enter their premises.

The popularity of coworking spaces is based on the evolution of our thinking about work and office space. Changes in thinking patterns have allowed many managers to open their eyes to a much more flexible approach to the tasks performed by their employees. Stationary work brings a number of benefits, but they do not have to be implemented within a rigid, formalized framework. The effect of market liberalization is the multiplication of options and the simplification of rules. Time has shown how positively it has had a positive impact on the office market. Companies are renting smaller spaces because they have learned flexibility and space optimization in recent years. For office owners and operators, this means a better mix of tenants, and thus a diverse business environment, much more willing to cooperate with each other, as well as a lower level of dependence on strategically important, largest tenants of their space. All these features have characterized coworking spaces from the very beginning, and thanks to their flexibility, they attract more and more diverse tenants.

The beginnings of O4 coworking space date back to 2015, when the concept itself was not yet popular. At that time, it limited itself to the offer of renting modules, prepared for a dozen or so workstations, focused on 2000 m.kw, where, in addition to offices, there were developed kitchens, places for relaxation, meetings and quiet work zones.

The benefit for start-ups was simple rules. A person entering such an office did not have to know about commercial rental, understand what service-charges and add-ons are, and – probably most importantly – declare for 5 or 7 years.

As Marta Moksa, director of O4 coworking, declares, the development of this form of office space sounds simple and seems easy, but for the operator it is not at all: The development and scaling of flex offices has radically accelerated only recently – before that, it required evangelization of the market, customers and agents, fixing hundreds of irreparable errors made in connection with the effect of novelty (mainly at the design and hardware stage), improving administrative and operational processes. O4 Coworking has probably gone through all the painful lessons. From “beautiful, but not necessarily functional” kitchens and furniture, which forced us to renovate and improve, to understanding the real and, interestingly, ever-changing needs of customers .

After almost 10 years of operation, O4 offers a service that radically goes beyond the originally understood term of serviced offices. Comprehensive services for developing companies require much more than just the organization of good quality and friendly workspace. Users of shared offices, being in a key phase of their business development, are eager to use the support of many processes related to their business activity. Just as for them it means a lot of relief from duties, for the office space operator it is an opportunity to create an additional service, increasing the satisfaction of running a business in a given location.

We can see that coworking and flex clients don’t just need an “office”. They need support in taking care of their employees, recruiting and building well-coordinated teams, strengthening prestige in the eyes of customers, convenience and helping them deal with burdensome, time-consuming, but necessary “trifles”. Finally, they need business contacts – networking and community building are the biggest distinguishing features of O4 (10 years of experience in this field makes us an expert in all “do’s and don’t’s” of such activities) – sums up Marta Moksa. Providing additional services not only increases the satisfaction of landlords, but also increases the competitiveness of a given coworking space and gives a chance for further development.

It is not without reason that the potential of coworking spaces has long been noticed by large corporations, which see a great opportunity and relief in flexibility and management convenience. On top of that, they offer what is not always available in traditional offices: a community – a creative, cooperative and modern environment, positively stimulating development and new ideas.

This is a powerful argument for the big ones who persuade people to come to the office. When employees can choose their own days in the office, the key factor is that… They will not be alone in it! So if someone from a large organization comes to flex and even in their office there are not too many co-workers, they are already in coworking kitchens, table football or chill zones! – emphasizes Marta Moksa. Corporations see another benefit of coworking offers in business centers: they have a fully ready, perfectly prepared space at hand, which they can use for the needs of temporary projects. They have office space at hand, which is available without the need to conduct complicated and protracted negotiations, complicated contracts binding the parties for many years.

The development of additional services in O4 is also an example of the evolution of thinking about coworking spaces. Their range currently includes support in classic forms of recruitment, but also, for example, in the form of recruitment speed-dating, which is becoming increasingly popular. Tenants have at hand the offer of organizing integration corporate events, conferences and meetings with business leaders, motivational speakers, pioneers in many market segments, who infect with their openness, enthusiasm and creativity. Coworking also develops its cooperation with research centres, offering employers a unique opportunity to promote the most popular fields of study in the environment of the latest years, m.in. at the University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk University of Technology, WSB Merito University.

Currently, O4 manages 86 offices, which can employ a total of almost 700 people. In 2025, the Gdańsk coworking will open its hundredth office, thanks to the expansion of its activities with new locations in Olivia Centre. So far, it has been operating in four buildings in this largest business center, where it offers very diverse spaces. From designer offices, meeting rooms and conference rooms located on high floors of Olivia’s buildings to only 4 m.kw. offices, prepared in shared spaces. They offer not only full kitchen and integration facilities, but also the above-mentioned community, introducing irreplaceable buzz and life in the workplace.

The creativity, energy and agency of the O4 Coworking team resulted in a fantastic development of this concept in Olivia Centre. The synergy it creates in combination with the largest business centre in Poland, which is Olivia Centre, has been used to the maximum – says Bogusław Wieczorek, the representative of the management board of Olivia Centre. We and our residents benefit from the existence of the O4-ian community in a number of ways. It is not uncommon for our residents to become O4-ians and vice versa. Project teams can be located in coworking space, and on the other hand – the need for more office space is met by Olivia. This means that customers and the team use the same address and place, regardless of the stage of their business development.

If you are looking for an unforgettable experience and want to feel real emotions, then THIS Summer on the Patio is just for you!

What have we prepared for you?

1. F1 Simulator – Feel like a real rally driver! Do you dream of getting behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car and feeling the speed?
Now’s your chance!
The F1 simulator will allow you to experience the emotions that accompany real racers.
Test your skills, compete with your friends, discover your inner master of the wheel and win a prize!

2. Competitions and games – Test your dexterity and speed! There will be competitions and games waiting for you, in which you will be able to show your cleverness and reflexes.
Will your speed allow you to be a builder?
Show what you’re made of!

3. Exhibition of racing cars – See automotive legends! On our patio, you will have the opportunity to admire both classic and modern racing cars.
This is a unique opportunity to see up close machines that we only admire on screens on a daily basis.
Every automotive enthusiast will find something for themselves here!

4. Live music, ice cream and full chillout – Relax and have fun with us! The whole day will be made more pleasant by live music, to which you will be able to wave your foot and relax in a pleasant atmosphere.
There will also be delicious ice cream and other delicacies that will allow you to cool down on a summer day.

  It is not only a great opportunity to spend time outdoors with friends, but also a chance to experience something special.
The event on our patio is a combination of passion for motorization, good music and relaxation.  

On August 28, join us on the patio and feel the call of competition!