Redefining Coworking for Sustainable Communities: Insights from Small Cities Amid COVID-19

The global rise of coworking spaces (CSs) underscores their potential to foster sustainable urban development by promoting collaboration, community engagement, and strengthening local communities. However, little is known about how CSs in smaller urban or suburban settings are managed. The COVID-19 pandemic added uncertainty to this sector, placing significant strain on these spaces and testing their resilience. This study explored how managers of CSs in small cities organize and sustain their operations, focusing on the challenges posed by the pandemic. We employed a qualitative approach, conducting eleven in-depth semi-structured interviews with managers of small city CSs, followed by nine additional interviews four months later to capture the evolving conditions. Findings show that management strategies crucially shape the sustainability of these spaces: those emphasizing open, collaborative layouts proved more vulnerable to lockdown measures, whereas those offering private offices generally weathered the crisis more effectively—albeit sometimes at the expense of a collaborative culture and community integration. These insights highlight the importance of adaptive management practices that balance economic viability with the core principles of collaboration and community building. By addressing the distinct challenges of smaller urban and suburban contexts, CS managers can strengthen their spaces’ resilience and enhance both social and economic sustainability in their local communities.