Miguel McKelvey, WeLive, WeWork’s Community Latest Community Experiment

How can you make sure your company is moving in the right direction? Miguel McKelvey’s reply: “You cannot stay up all night so many time.”

McKelvey, also the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of WeWork, is responsible for all aspects of architecture, design, and construction. The core of WeWork is good design.

At Startup Grind Europe, McKelvey explains how simple but memorable designs can help real-life connections thrive. McKelvey’s designs encourage people to look up from their phones and pay attention to the people and places around them.

An instant community

This is what makes WeWork stand out from other coworking spaces. These connections are the core of their character and quality.

“The point of us being together is the point.”

WeWork was founded in 2010 and has been a global success in coworking. They’ve now applied their concept to WeLive, transforming coworking into co-living.

WeLive is an experiment in shared residential living that has been very successful. McKelvey describes residents as a “family”. WeLive is more than a place to live, and it’s a community.

Real-life connections

WeLive is still testing to determine who suits this style of living best. McKelvey suggests that you imagine a 35-year-old woman. It seems that her relationship with her partner has ended abruptly. She must move out of the apartment she shared with her husband. WeLive provides the furniture and comforts of home and a social network in real life.

This could be a great solution for her ex-partner. However, it is best not to live in the same building.