To discover or rediscover, such is the question when talking about the metaverse. Even though present in science-fiction and video games for over 3 decades, it is only in 2017 and the acquisition of Altspace VR by Microsoft that the metaverse has made his entrance in the professional world. But after Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg’s international flop and $10B loss, it seemed like this technology was gradually becoming ancient history. However, Clockwise Campus has found the solution to regain the public interest: the metaverse is not defined by who owns it, but by who uses it.
Humanity has built and developed infrastructures throughout History, which then created cities, nations, and societies. The Dutch built dams and rose their country from the sea, the Saudis built from sand and dust one of the richest countries the world has ever known, and now it’s time for virtuosos like Clockwise to build the future.
Developing Clockwise
Launched in 2017, Clockwise is a company that provides well-designed, contemporary private offices, shared workspaces and meeting rooms in the UK and across Europe. Thanks to an ongoing flexibility, support, and proactive service, they take the time and effort to learn who their customers are, where they are going, and how they are growing. Originated in Glasgow, this startup is constantly expending and never fails to come up with new ideas to become a major player. But beyond physical spaces, Clockwise is now creating the first workspace in the metaverse, in order to remediate to constraints affecting remote workers.
Great collaboration for a greater project
But such a great initiative can’t be achieved all alone. Throughout this project, they will be working with their longstanding collaborator, architecture and design studio MoreySmith. The goal is not to create just a workspace, but stimulating designs, varied spaces, with a strong focus on wellbeing to enhance productivity. Visually, the metaverse will be infinite, with a collision of abstraction, symbolism, and versions of hyperrealism. Set to be released in Autumn 2023, the project will place the foundations for new worldwide standards and will make us rethink our whole relationship to remote working.
“It is incredibly exciting to be continuing our longstanding collaborative relationship with Clockwise on such a unique and future-gazing project. We were particularly inspired by the opportunity to add human elements into the meta world, by incorporating designated spaces for social interactions.”
Explains Linda Morey-Burrows, Principal Director and Founder of MoreySmith.
But how exactly would social interactions benefit the workspace?
Worker’s mental health: on the frontline of remote working
Even though working remotely has been beneficial for many people in various aspects, it also carries new challenges. Popularised since the Covid-19 pandemic, it is still a new way of life that companies and workers are sometimes struggling to deal with. In 2020, 25% of British people working remotely have admitted suffering from loneliness and isolation from their colleagues. That is where Clockwise Campus comes in action. Their objective is to create online offices where people can meet and interact with each other, while comfortably working from home. Clockwise and MoreySmith are also planning to incorporate some of their office’s favourite elements: Moats and canals, as working alongside water is known to have a calming effect and reduce stress. Plentiful planting as found in all Clockwise buildings, and mature trees, as research proves that greenery supports memory retention, improves compassion and improves air quality. Prioritising light and expansive outdoor space, both of which are celebrated as much as possible in all Clockwise locations as supporting the circadian rhythm helps with cognitive ability, aids recovery, and promotes restful sleep.
By prioritising mental health and their employees’ wellbeing, Clockwise play their cards right by being both technological and social pioneers.