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Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
- The Ring is a new coworking space under construction at One Clearwater Tower
- Due to launch in Spring 2018, The Ring is inspired by nature and balance in the workspace
- The co-founders are aiming for WELL certification as well as the Living Building Challenge
The future is smart; smart houses, smart cities, smart workplaces. This premise inspired Simee Adhikari and Daniels Ikajevs to create The Ring, a coworking and incubator hybrid in downtown Clearwater, FL.
Simee tells Allwork.Space that by smart workplace, both co-founders envision a space that enhances our lives, one that empowers us to prosper, and provide the necessary support and tools to succeed.
“There is a direct correlation between wellness and productivity, so the spaces we design and create need to address this correlation through infrastructure, design, and materials,” she says.
With a background in the software industry, Simee is passionate about technology and data, and finding creative ways to incorporate them into the built environment.
“Human beings, we are not supposed to be boxed inside a building, staring at a computer all day. It’s unnatural. It’s also why with The Ring we are seeking to create a smart workplace that incorporates natural elements into the indoor environment; our goal is to bring the outdoors in and to be able to quantify it with the right technology.”
“The Ring is a space where entrepreneurs can ‘fight’, where they have a team behind them, cheering them on and making sure they are performing at their best.”
Although construction of The Ring started in December, 2017, Simee shares that the project has been long in the making. “We’ve made sure that we pay the right attention to even the tiniest of details. Before we started the construction and build-out process, we made sure we had all the insights we needed and that the model we were pursuing is sustainable.”
My husband, Daniels, has a boxing history, and that’s where the name for the space comes from. The name is a metaphor to the spirit of entrepreneurs; they are fighters
In addition to carrying out research into workplace trends and the industry at large, Daniels and Simee toured over 80 coworking spaces across the globe.
“We wanted to make sure we understood the industry and its offerings; from there we focused on creating our own identity.”
Design-wise, Simee said that she’s spent “numerous hours reflecting on the different elements that come into play in a workplace; not just design, but the air, the colors, the temperature, and the textures.”
The Ring is a carefully thought-out project; each material used has a purpose, and so does the name.
“My husband, Daniels, has a boxing history, and that’s where the name for the space comes from.” The Ring is hoping to attract a variety of ‘fighters’, but it is focused on catering to the startup community of downtown Clearwater.
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“The name is a metaphor to the spirit of entrepreneurs; they are fighters, and The Ring, well, that’s where the show takes place. We want entrepreneurs to come to The Ring, where we will provide them with the support and tools they need, with a corner they can lean on. Boxing is also about mental, emotional, and physical strength; aspects we deeply considered when laying out the foundation of our space.
“The Ring is a space where entrepreneurs can ‘fight’, where they have a team behind them, cheering them on and making sure they are performing at their best.”
The Ring is a coworking and incubator hybrid, and a key component of the project is the ability to give members access to funding. The larger of the conference rooms will have the ability to aesthetically transform into a boxing ring for “The Ring Main Event”, an opportunity for members to pitch their ideas to investors.
The space, the co-founders hope, will truly set itself apart from others. “We’ve created a very holistic and detailed approach. We’ve incorporated wellness, productivity, design, and technology into the space. It really is a smart office, a customizable workplace that will integrate the latest technology and rely on big data to make sure it’s always performing at its best.”
The Ring will be located in One Clearwater Tower, which is owned by Daniels Ikajevs; it is set to open in late Spring, 2018. The project is being financed and developed by a joint venture between by Daniels and Simee and the City of Clearwater. The co-founders are hoping to obtain the WELL certification as well as the Living Building Challenge.
