Create the space you wish existed

I referred to it as “the bunker”. My small office, a glorified closet, lacked windows, natural light and oxygen. I decorated with new lamps, fluffy pillows on the guest-bed, using what I could to make it feel less like a prison cell, more like a cozy studio. But after a day of meetings I would crawl out, desperate for fresh air, dreaming of a room to work from that did not feel like I was being punished for my sins.

A year later we moved up a floor and I got my daylight home office. But sitting at home every single day, turned out to be too much introvert time even for me. I compensated by doing the nomad thing and work from coffee shops. But the internet was spotty, even using my phone, and after an hour I felt obligated to spend money on drinks I did not really want or leave. Toilet breaks were a hassle when I was alone. I went to co-working spaces too, but they are pricy, often crowded and with only two phone booths for taking calls in. I also wanted a community vibe, smaller, more casual. I did not go remote to pay for joining someone else’s corporate culture. 

And on it went. Like Goldilocks I moved between beds, finding one too hard, one too soft, never one quite right.

Nothing left to do but to take matters into one's own hands.

Building something different

Tom and Reima shared this desire for a third space. Not quite an office, but a space where we could work and hang out, a shared living room. Create the community we were missing. In May they went to view the first space, an office in Lapa, an 18-minute walk from where we live. It had two floors, two toilets, and room for everything we needed.

We ruminated over it for a week.

"Let's just do it," we said over a glass of wine in the park.

As all good decisions are made.

We signed the agreement.

Five minutes later, we were tearing up the floor.

Not hyperbole, in case you're wondering. Tom has very little distance between thought and action, and had that not been the case, we would probably still be pondering wall colors.

Our timeline was tight. We were all leaving Lisbon over the summer and had three weeks to redo the floors upstairs, paint everything, make changes to the electric wiring and get some furniture in. It was intense, but we got it done!

Welcome to Kompis!

By the end of September we were all here and could finally host our opening party. We're officially up and running!

We're intentionally keeping it small. Friends are stopping by to work from here when they are in town. We've started hosting the events we wished existed. Having a place for whatever idea we come up with is such a privilege and joy.

We call it a co-working, but clubhouse might be a better name. It's where we hang out. We've organized a movie night to watch Eurotrip, with five different nationalities between us. This week we hosted our first Deep Talk Writing meetup, where writers can go deep on the philosophy and craft of writing, and last night we had our first jam session.

It's becoming the space for friends and creativity we were missing.

The meaning of a name

When we brainstormed names I thought of swissmiss and her studio in Brooklyn, named Friends Work Here. That always resonated with me, so I suggested kompis, which is Swedish for friend or buddy. It's simple, easy to pronounce for most, and it reflects what we want to build here. Small, intentional, friendly. The guys agreed, and Kompis Collective was born.

If you have been dreaming of a room of your own, take this as a sign to get started. Talk to other people, look at locations, consider your options. It doesn't have to be that complicated.

Sometimes you can just do things.

Want to join us in Lisbon?

If you're looking for a new co-working, want to visit us, or just stay up to date on events, message me and I'll give you the details! You can also follow us in Instagram.