When Chad and Charlie Johnson founded Thrive Workplace in 2010, they knew they wanted to create a space that was multi-functional. Chad received his masters degree in architecture and took a keen interest on the future of working. During his studies he was intrigued by the psychology and sociology of how people interact, especially when it comes to millennials. The traditional workspace model—cubicles and 9 to 5 hours—is becoming antiquated and the brother duo wanted to create a workspace that appealed to the future of work. The number one goal when building Thrive was to create a welcoming, vibrant space where people want to stay.
Positive Energy
The Johnsons knew that right when someone enters the building, there needs to be this energy that captivates them. 
They were conscious to make sure the lighting wasn’t stale, the space wasn’t too small and they wanted to avoid creating a space where there wasn’t any movement or collaboration taking place. Chad and Charlie were inspired to develop a design concept that achieves a “wow” moment when first entering. The ample open space right when you walk through the door blends into the drop-in and dedicated desk space that serves Thrive members’ flexible needs and creates an open, vibrant welcome for members.
Evolving Private, Open and Collaborative Spaces
The private offices that are enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass walls are positioned on the exterior of the coworking space so that members opting for privates offices can have their own personal space, but can still see the energy of the drop-in and dedicated desk spaces while maintaining Thrive’s sense of community.Thrive’s goal is to accomplish a feeling of community for each generation that makes up the Thrive family. Positioning the middle of the floor plan as dedicated open space fosters creativity and allows Thrive members to be as collaborative as possible. The battle of privacy and openness is a very delicate process and one that the Johnson brothers are constantly considering when making changes to the layout. Thrive continues to evolves its mobile area, which is made up of open tables (not cubicles) where members can see eye-to-eye. Chad and Charlie like to incorporate the community’s feedback when it comes to designing. They ask members for their opinion which causes the space to morph into something that their family community wants.
Natural Light and Member Flexibility
The abundance of natural light in the middle room also supplements the open concept. The level of natural light can greatly affect your mood and enhance productively while brightening the space. The green color palette is essential to brightening the room as well, which is complimented by the plant life throughout the building.The open floor coworking concept marries into the flexibility of Thrive’s membership packages. Members are free to create their own a la carte system by choosing their membership on a month-to-month basis. An important element of Thrive are the mobile lights, which are almost like artwork, and echo the theme of flexibility. All of the interiors and furnishings are flexible and movable in an effort to create the multi-purpose space that Chad and Charlie knew would set Thrive apart from other coworking spaces. As a result, they are able to host events, offer the space for others to host events and utilize the open conference rooms for fun activities, such as poker, fantasy football and pilates.
When it came to designing Thrive, there is an inventive element to every piece of the interiors and furnishings. As designers and architects, Chad and Charlie create one-of-a-kind, sustainable pieces that make Thrive unique. Reclaimed wood and repurposed materials show how creative and mindful they are when it comes to choosing the finishes and the lighting.
Most importantly, co-founders Chad and Charlie aimed to implement the idea of family into Thrive. As brothers and advocates of the “Minnesota nice” attitude, Chad and Charlie treat every member as family and aim to cultivate an atmosphere that is warm, collaborative, thoughtful and accepting. To tour our facility in person, please contact Jennifer Anderson at [email protected] or call us at 303-297-3338.
