Written by co-working member Mina Miller
Sheffield's Union St is a thriving city-centre ecosystem of independent professionals, creatives, and social enterprises. An alternative to a traditional office space, it stands apart from other co-working spaces with its DIY ethos, which can be seen and felt throughout the building.
Most Union St members are hot deskers – nabbing table space on a first-come-first-served basis, mainly on the second floor. But the top floor houses long-time members who either rent desks, or whose offices are permanently based here.
With two desks now vacant, we spoke to top-floor denizens about their work, and they value most about Union St. Beware: basing yourself here might spark an urge to found a social enterprise.
A gradual evolution
Originally council offices, Union St came into being slowly and organically, with long-term occupants like Studio Polpo, an architecture firm and social enterprise, playing an integral role in shaping its identity.
Mark, founder of Polpo and a lecturer at the University of Sheffield's School of Architecture, has been upstairs at Union St for 10 years. Mark used to work from an office in his attic, and moved to Union St in pursuit of a dedicated space for meetings and collaboration. ‘The house was fine’, he said, ‘but not so great for visitors, who’d have to step over the kids’ toys’.
Mark, who’s one of Union St’s longest-running occupants, was a partner in its transformation. ‘We had a bit of a make and break attitude towards trying new things,’ he says, adding: ‘it was nice to build as we went along’. Mark adds that Union St has gone through several phases of development, with Covid being the latest inflection point, bringing in lots of new people.
A hub for those in search of work-life balance
Union St, like Sheffield itself, has become a haven for those seeking a better work-life balance. Tom, the founder of animation studio Grizzle, relocated from London to Sheffield in 2018 with his wife, shortly after having a baby. He said he had a moment of realisation whilst in London, when his child was still a newborn. ‘I went for a run’, he said, ‘it was my first outing since the birth, and I found myself by an underpass with loads of traffic. I just wanted something better’.
Looking around, Tom found Union St to be a refreshing alternative to sterile co-working spaces, appreciating its ‘lived-in’ character. The top floor was ideal for his animation work, eliminating the hassle of transporting equipment, and Union St was a good base to connect with like-minded individuals. ‘It’s a great place for creative refugees from London’, he said.
Bernie, a consultant and writer who’s the founder of Made to Measure KPIs, also joined Union St in pursuit of a better work-life balance. Bernie, who’s been at Union St for two years, is the author of numerous top-selling books on KPIs. When he’s not training or consulting, he’s working on his own. He joined for social contact, to meet people outside of work, and for interaction that wasn’t purely client-based.
Bernie says his desk space gives him the best of work life – the social contact of an office – with none of the hassle. Plus, he points out, the company is varied and interesting. Bernie, who found Union St via Google, knew next to nothing about animation before sharing a space with the Grizzle team, but: ‘sitting next to these guys, we’ve learned from one another’. Mark agrees: ‘The space is better with more people. There’s cross pollination, it’s more communal, and it’s nice to hear other people’s conversations’.
A launchpad for social impact
Union St offers more than just a place to work. Its central location is proximate to council and local authority offices, and its downstairs space provides affordable coffee and lunch options, operating as an informal meeting space for members, volunteers, and guests. The numerous groups and activities organised by members create a strong sense of community and provide opportunities to connect with people beyond work.
In 2015, Mark and Polpo decided to found the Sheffield Community Land Trust, a community-led organisation established to provide genuinely affordable housing and workspaces. Mark took a year off lecturing to build SCLT and secure a funding bid. Now, the organisation has an annual AGM and regular volunteers who pop into Union St to work and chat.
And Tom realised that, as a father, he could no longer participate directly in XR activism like he had in the past. Union St provided a location for climate-conscious collaboration. So he diverted some of his time away from Grizzle to found Mycelium, an open access, AI-powered tool seeking to consolidate and publish companies’ emissions data for carbon accounting. Tom pointed out that Union St currently hosts a high concentration of AI and climate specialists, fomenting a space for good chats and collaboration – the ‘hive mind effect’.
Join the Union St community
Two desks are available immediately on Union St’s top floor, either together or separately. Memberships are flexible, offer plenty of storage space, and come with a two week free trial. Whether you're a freelancer, director, or social innovator, Union St offers a supportive and social environment to work and experiment. If you’re looking for a space where people are dedicated and passionate about their work – but reject the corporate ‘grind’ mentality, book a tour via this link here today.
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