I love this story of reimagining civic infrastructure. I sent it
 to the OSlist when I read this:

 We’re running it BarCamp style. Open source. The people in the
 room build the agenda.

 And we are walking the walk.

 Sure sounds like they’re opening space to me!!

 Peggy

 https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/the-glass-box-is-a-lie-heres-what?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1606075&post_id=186489108&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=45yzt&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
 <https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/the-glass-box-is-a-lie-heres-what?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1606075&post_id=186489108&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=45yzt&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email>


   The Glass Box is a lie. Here's what actually works.


     See how Kofi, Williamz, Karen and Tom are building Social
     Capital—and why we're bringing operators, activists, and
     makers together on Feb 24th.

 Bernie J Mitchell <https://substack.com/@berniejmitchell>
 <https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pgUA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c630201-af68-498f-a5fc-14ad8f9e517c_3360x1890.heic>

 Last week, we talked about Michael Korn and the “insurgents” at
 Blue Garage who didn’t wait for permission to start building. We
 talked about how sometimes, you have to build the future before
 anyone else is ready to buy it.

 Well, the future is here. And it’s time to move in.

 Because for the last decade, we have been sold a different
 story—a lie.

 The “Future of Work” has been marketed to us as a product, some
 people even trademark the phrase. A sleek, frictionless,
 high-spec Glass Box.

 The story went like this: If you just buy the right furniture,
 install the right app, and offer enough craft beer, you will
 “scale.” You will become a unicorn. You will exit.

 This is the Consumer Story. It treats people as users. It treats
 space as a commodity. And it treats community as a feature you
 can toggle on and off like a subscription.

 Naomi Klein would tell us to follow the money. Where does the
 money go when a freelancer rents a desk in a Glass Box?

 It leaves the neighbourhood before the transaction even clears.
 It goes to a bondholder in New York. It goes to a landlord in an
 offshore tax haven. Extractive Economics.

 The Glass Box extracts value. The air is recycled. The
 connections are transactional.

 And looking at the data from across our network, I think you are
 tired of it.


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------


     What alive actually feels like

 I don’t live in London anymore. But whenever I go back and sit
 with Kofi Oppong at Urban MBA, I’m reminded of what alive
 actually feels like.

 It’s chaotic in the way a kitchen is chaotic during dinner
 service—noisy, urgent, vital.

 Kofi sits with a 17-year-old kid who is disillusioned with
 school, and a 57-year-old creative who just got made redundant.

 He’s teaching them both how to use AI to write a letter to the
 Council, or to the bank. He’s hacking the bureaucracy that was
 designed to exclude them. He’s showing them that they have agency.

 In that room, “coworking” means a life raft.

 It reminds me of Williamz Omope, who runs his Job Clubs in
 libraries and spaces like Space4.

 Williamz doesn’t have an eligibility form. He doesn’t ask to see
 your passport or your credit score.

 He just says, “This is a safe space. Come back as much as you want.”

 He measures success by confidence regained, not job placements.
 He’s building an app based on “Expected Goals” (xG) in football,
 because he knows that sometimes, just taking the shot is the
 victory.

 This is Civic Infrastructure.


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------


     The economics of belonging

 When we stop trying to be a “Workspace Operator” and start
 acting like a “Civic Infrastructure Builder,” the economics change.

 Look at Karen Tait at The Residency in Bishop’s Stortford.

 When you spend a pound there, it doesn’t vanish. It goes to the
 local gym next door. It goes to the local caterer. It goes to
 the independent supplier.

 As Karen told me, she’s building a “level playing field”—a place
 where the money stays to fight another day.

 Look at Tom Ball in Bristol.

 He’s running a “Pay It Forward” scheme where he gives free
 hot-desking to people “in the Gap” between jobs.

 Why? Because he knows that a connected, supported person is the
 lifeblood of the city. He knows that if you lose that person to
 isolation, the whole city gets poorer.

 This is Circulation Economics. This is the Industrial Commons.

 It’s what Marshall talked about in the 19th century—the
 “something in the air” that makes a district thrive. It’s not
 the buildings. It is pure Social Capital.

 It’s the trust. It’s the reciprocity. It’s the knowledge that if
 my boiler breaks at midnight, I can text someone who actually cares.


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------


     The insurgents are tired of waiting

 For ten years, I’ve been running the London Coworking Assembly.
 We’ve been the “insurgents” on the fringe, talking about social
 value and civic infrastructure while the big guys burned
 billions on “growth at all costs.”

 Well, the big guys are still here. In fact, they are getting bigger.

 Through mergers, acquisitions, and sheer spending power, the
 corporate chains are consolidating.

 They have the budgets to outspend us. They have the lobbyists to
 get the government’s ear while we fight for scraps.

 But we’re realising something: We can’t fight them alone anymore.

 The freelance designer in Ewan Buck’s space in Bromley—who spent
 four years fighting for the Council to recognise that a
 coworking space is actually a town square—needs the energy of
 the Urban MBA student in Hackney.

 The tech founder needs the artist. The policymaker needs the
 maker space.

 The next step isn’t “growing the assembly.” The next step is
 convergence.

 It’s what happens when the Coworking Operators (Karen, Tom,
 Ewan) stop just talking to each other and start building with
 the Neighbourhood Activists (Williamz, Kofi) and the Local
 Makers (Michael Korn at Blue Garage).

 We stop being separate “sectors.” We become a united front.


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------


     Testing the hypothesis at Blue Garage

 On February 24th, we’re taking 150 of us—operators, students,
 makers, policy geeks—and locking ourselves in Blue Garage in
 Lewisham for a day.

 You know the usual events. Panels of consultants who’ve never
 unclogged a toilet. Keynotes about “the future of work”
 delivered by people who’ve never had a member crying in the
 kitchen at lunch.

 We’re running it BarCamp style. Open source. The people in the
 room build the agenda.

 And we are walking the walk.

 The event is being staffed and run by Urban MBA. Blaze and the
 current cohort will be running the entire day—staffing,
 logistics, all of it. It’s part of their curriculum. They’re the
 next generation of community builders.

 The food? It’s coming from Simone, a thriving food entrepreneur
 in the Urban MBA programme. Real food. Local food. The food
 tastes like love, not plastic.

 We’re not just saying we should build community
 infrastructure—we’re doing it in how we run the day.

 And this isn’t a one-off.

 We’re building a movable community that shows up, quarter after
 quarter, in different neighbourhoods. We are going to prove that
 “small and connected” beats “big and extracted” every single time.

 Tickets are already moving. I’d love to see you there.

 If you’ve been reading these notes and wondering, “Okay Bernie,
 I get the theory, but what do we DO?”... this is it.

 We stop waiting for the cavalry. We build the infrastructure
 ourselves.


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 RSVP for 24th Feb @ Blue Garage. <https://luma.com/LCAforumFeb26>


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------


     Deep Dive from the Archives

 If this struck a chord, here is where we’ve explored these ideas
 before:

  *

     *Build It Before They’re Buying
     <https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/dcb4e8e7-fecb-4d5f-abfc-a27d38ae700e>*–
     The story of Michael Korn, David Bowie, and why places like
     Blue Garage matter.

  *

     *The Antidote to Alienation Is Participation
     <https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/5f0197b7-661d-4582-8e37-887cc027cfc5>*–
     Why we need to stop consuming community and start building it.


     Bernie’s Picks

 🎬*Watch:**ACTionism @ Dragon
 <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fp%2FDT00L_Lieqm%2F>*.
 This is what it looks like when the neighbourhood actually owns
 the space. 2 minutes of pure energy.

 🎧*Listen:*The*Williamz Omope Episode
 <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fcoworkingvaluespodcast.substack.com%2Fp%2Ffrom-haircuts-to-health-checks-how%3Futm_source%3Dpublication-search>*on
 the Coworking Values Podcast. When he talks about “journey-based
 success” vs “job outcomes,” it changes how you see your own career.

 📺*Watch:**‘Your Workspace Is Under Attack’
 <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fposts%2Fberniejmitchell_coworking-communityisthekey-coworkinglondon-activity-7406289549452083200-eErD%3Futm_source%3Dshare%26utm_medium%3Dmember_desktop%26rcm%3DACoAAAF8VlIBOlHiOyMYD8sgvsdQKH6ZNindd1Q>*—
 The full breakdown of what the VOA is doing and why.

 📋*Action:**Email your MP Toolkit
 <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V26jEVfhlR7pzlGj9Ir9ExC3Dv-aV3H_/view?usp=sharing>*from
 FlexSA. Everything you need to contact your MP, including
 template letters (free, direct-download).


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------


     The Monday Domino

 Stop trying to fix the whole system today. Just look at your
 supply chain.

 Pick one thing you buy for your space this week—coffee,
 printing, soap. Can you buy it from someone in your postcode?
 Can you buy it from a human?

 Shift that one transaction. That’s how we start.


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------


       *Thank you for your time and attention today*


       *Bernie 💚🍉*


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 *p.s.*🅿️ Get your ticket for 24th
 February<https://luma.com/LCAforumFeb26>

 _________________________________
 Peggy Holman
 peggy@peggyholman.com

 Bellevue, WA  98006
 206-948-0432
 www.peggyholman.com <http://www.peggyholman.com/>

 Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval
 into Opportunity <https://peggyholman.com/papers/engaging-emergence/>

 "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not
 get burnt, is to become
 the fire".
 -- Drew Dellinger













 OSList mailing list --everyone@oslist.org
 To unsubscribe send an email toeveryone-leave@oslist.org
 See the archives
 here:https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org

 open space is "Open Source" in the sense that HO opened it up for anybody > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source It ain't an electronic software... but a blue print for an experiment... mmp Am 02.02.2026 um 18:36 schrieb Chris Corrigan via OSList: > Many, many folks in my experience refer to Open Space as “Open Source” > in my world. These are usually folks who are neither facilitators or > tech people and who don;t actually know these two terms, but end up > conflating them together. As Father Brian Bainbrdge would say, “it’s > all good.” > > C > >> On Feb 2, 2026, at 9:16 AM, Brian Burt via OSList >> <everyone@oslist.org> wrote: >> >> Indeed and to me it's odd this writer describing it doesn't reference >> open space (she probably only has encountered the format under the >> Unconference naming, which does have a certain clarity). >> >> https://morethandigital.info/en/barcamp-what-is-it-actually-and-what-is-the-point/ >> >> Brian Burt >> >> >> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026, 9:07 AM Peggy Holman via OSList >> <everyone@oslist.org> wrote: >> >> I love this story of reimagining civic infrastructure. I sent it >> to the OSlist when I read this: >> >>>> We’re running it BarCamp style. Open source. The people in the >>>> room build the agenda. >>>> >>>> And we are walking the walk. >>>> >> >> Sure sounds like they’re opening space to me!! >> >> Peggy >> >>> >>> https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/the-glass-box-is-a-lie-heres-what?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1606075&post_id=186489108&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=45yzt&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email >>> <https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/the-glass-box-is-a-lie-heres-what?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1606075&post_id=186489108&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=45yzt&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email> >>> >>> >>> The Glass Box is a lie. Here's what actually works. >>> >>> >>> See how Kofi, Williamz, Karen and Tom are building Social >>> Capital—and why we're bringing operators, activists, and >>> makers together on Feb 24th. >>> >>> Bernie J Mitchell <https://substack.com/@berniejmitchell> >>> <https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pgUA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c630201-af68-498f-a5fc-14ad8f9e517c_3360x1890.heic> >>> >>> Last week, we talked about Michael Korn and the “insurgents” at >>> Blue Garage who didn’t wait for permission to start building. We >>> talked about how sometimes, you have to build the future before >>> anyone else is ready to buy it. >>> >>> Well, the future is here. And it’s time to move in. >>> >>> Because for the last decade, we have been sold a different >>> story—a lie. >>> >>> The “Future of Work” has been marketed to us as a product, some >>> people even trademark the phrase. A sleek, frictionless, >>> high-spec Glass Box. >>> >>> The story went like this: If you just buy the right furniture, >>> install the right app, and offer enough craft beer, you will >>> “scale.” You will become a unicorn. You will exit. >>> >>> This is the Consumer Story. It treats people as users. It treats >>> space as a commodity. And it treats community as a feature you >>> can toggle on and off like a subscription. >>> >>> Naomi Klein would tell us to follow the money. Where does the >>> money go when a freelancer rents a desk in a Glass Box? >>> >>> It leaves the neighbourhood before the transaction even clears. >>> It goes to a bondholder in New York. It goes to a landlord in an >>> offshore tax haven. Extractive Economics. >>> >>> The Glass Box extracts value. The air is recycled. The >>> connections are transactional. >>> >>> And looking at the data from across our network, I think you are >>> tired of it. >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> >>> What alive actually feels like >>> >>> I don’t live in London anymore. But whenever I go back and sit >>> with Kofi Oppong at Urban MBA, I’m reminded of what alive >>> actually feels like. >>> >>> It’s chaotic in the way a kitchen is chaotic during dinner >>> service—noisy, urgent, vital. >>> >>> Kofi sits with a 17-year-old kid who is disillusioned with >>> school, and a 57-year-old creative who just got made redundant. >>> >>> He’s teaching them both how to use AI to write a letter to the >>> Council, or to the bank. He’s hacking the bureaucracy that was >>> designed to exclude them. He’s showing them that they have agency. >>> >>> In that room, “coworking” means a life raft. >>> >>> It reminds me of Williamz Omope, who runs his Job Clubs in >>> libraries and spaces like Space4. >>> >>> Williamz doesn’t have an eligibility form. He doesn’t ask to see >>> your passport or your credit score. >>> >>> He just says, “This is a safe space. Come back as much as you want.” >>> >>> He measures success by confidence regained, not job placements. >>> He’s building an app based on “Expected Goals” (xG) in football, >>> because he knows that sometimes, just taking the shot is the >>> victory. >>> >>> This is Civic Infrastructure. >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> >>> The economics of belonging >>> >>> When we stop trying to be a “Workspace Operator” and start >>> acting like a “Civic Infrastructure Builder,” the economics change. >>> >>> Look at Karen Tait at The Residency in Bishop’s Stortford. >>> >>> When you spend a pound there, it doesn’t vanish. It goes to the >>> local gym next door. It goes to the local caterer. It goes to >>> the independent supplier. >>> >>> As Karen told me, she’s building a “level playing field”—a place >>> where the money stays to fight another day. >>> >>> Look at Tom Ball in Bristol. >>> >>> He’s running a “Pay It Forward” scheme where he gives free >>> hot-desking to people “in the Gap” between jobs. >>> >>> Why? Because he knows that a connected, supported person is the >>> lifeblood of the city. He knows that if you lose that person to >>> isolation, the whole city gets poorer. >>> >>> This is Circulation Economics. This is the Industrial Commons. >>> >>> It’s what Marshall talked about in the 19th century—the >>> “something in the air” that makes a district thrive. It’s not >>> the buildings. It is pure Social Capital. >>> >>> It’s the trust. It’s the reciprocity. It’s the knowledge that if >>> my boiler breaks at midnight, I can text someone who actually cares. >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> >>> The insurgents are tired of waiting >>> >>> For ten years, I’ve been running the London Coworking Assembly. >>> We’ve been the “insurgents” on the fringe, talking about social >>> value and civic infrastructure while the big guys burned >>> billions on “growth at all costs.” >>> >>> Well, the big guys are still here. In fact, they are getting bigger. >>> >>> Through mergers, acquisitions, and sheer spending power, the >>> corporate chains are consolidating. >>> >>> They have the budgets to outspend us. They have the lobbyists to >>> get the government’s ear while we fight for scraps. >>> >>> But we’re realising something: We can’t fight them alone anymore. >>> >>> The freelance designer in Ewan Buck’s space in Bromley—who spent >>> four years fighting for the Council to recognise that a >>> coworking space is actually a town square—needs the energy of >>> the Urban MBA student in Hackney. >>> >>> The tech founder needs the artist. The policymaker needs the >>> maker space. >>> >>> The next step isn’t “growing the assembly.” The next step is >>> convergence. >>> >>> It’s what happens when the Coworking Operators (Karen, Tom, >>> Ewan) stop just talking to each other and start building with >>> the Neighbourhood Activists (Williamz, Kofi) and the Local >>> Makers (Michael Korn at Blue Garage). >>> >>> We stop being separate “sectors.” We become a united front. >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> >>> Testing the hypothesis at Blue Garage >>> >>> On February 24th, we’re taking 150 of us—operators, students, >>> makers, policy geeks—and locking ourselves in Blue Garage in >>> Lewisham for a day. >>> >>> You know the usual events. Panels of consultants who’ve never >>> unclogged a toilet. Keynotes about “the future of work” >>> delivered by people who’ve never had a member crying in the >>> kitchen at lunch. >>> >>> We’re running it BarCamp style. Open source. The people in the >>> room build the agenda. >>> >>> And we are walking the walk. >>> >>> The event is being staffed and run by Urban MBA. Blaze and the >>> current cohort will be running the entire day—staffing, >>> logistics, all of it. It’s part of their curriculum. They’re the >>> next generation of community builders. >>> >>> The food? It’s coming from Simone, a thriving food entrepreneur >>> in the Urban MBA programme. Real food. Local food. The food >>> tastes like love, not plastic. >>> >>> We’re not just saying we should build community >>> infrastructure—we’re doing it in how we run the day. >>> >>> And this isn’t a one-off. >>> >>> We’re building a movable community that shows up, quarter after >>> quarter, in different neighbourhoods. We are going to prove that >>> “small and connected” beats “big and extracted” every single time. >>> >>> Tickets are already moving. I’d love to see you there. >>> >>> If you’ve been reading these notes and wondering, “Okay Bernie, >>> I get the theory, but what do we DO?”... this is it. >>> >>> We stop waiting for the cavalry. We build the infrastructure >>> ourselves. >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> RSVP for 24th Feb @ Blue Garage. <https://luma.com/LCAforumFeb26> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> >>> Deep Dive from the Archives >>> >>> If this struck a chord, here is where we’ve explored these ideas >>> before: >>> >>> * >>> >>> *Build It Before They’re Buying >>> <https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/dcb4e8e7-fecb-4d5f-abfc-a27d38ae700e>*– >>> The story of Michael Korn, David Bowie, and why places like >>> Blue Garage matter. >>> >>> * >>> >>> *The Antidote to Alienation Is Participation >>> <https://berniejmitchell.substack.com/p/5f0197b7-661d-4582-8e37-887cc027cfc5>*– >>> Why we need to stop consuming community and start building it. >>> >>> >>> Bernie’s Picks >>> >>> 🎬*Watch:**ACTionism @ Dragon >>> <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fp%2FDT00L_Lieqm%2F>*. >>> This is what it looks like when the neighbourhood actually owns >>> the space. 2 minutes of pure energy. >>> >>> 🎧*Listen:*The*Williamz Omope Episode >>> <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fcoworkingvaluespodcast.substack.com%2Fp%2Ffrom-haircuts-to-health-checks-how%3Futm_source%3Dpublication-search>*on >>> the Coworking Values Podcast. When he talks about “journey-based >>> success” vs “job outcomes,” it changes how you see your own career. >>> >>> 📺*Watch:**‘Your Workspace Is Under Attack’ >>> <https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fposts%2Fberniejmitchell_coworking-communityisthekey-coworkinglondon-activity-7406289549452083200-eErD%3Futm_source%3Dshare%26utm_medium%3Dmember_desktop%26rcm%3DACoAAAF8VlIBOlHiOyMYD8sgvsdQKH6ZNindd1Q>*— >>> The full breakdown of what the VOA is doing and why. >>> >>> 📋*Action:**Email your MP Toolkit >>> <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V26jEVfhlR7pzlGj9Ir9ExC3Dv-aV3H_/view?usp=sharing>*from >>> FlexSA. Everything you need to contact your MP, including >>> template letters (free, direct-download). >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> >>> The Monday Domino >>> >>> Stop trying to fix the whole system today. Just look at your >>> supply chain. >>> >>> Pick one thing you buy for your space this week—coffee, >>> printing, soap. Can you buy it from someone in your postcode? >>> Can you buy it from a human? >>> >>> Shift that one transaction. That’s how we start. >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> >>> *Thank you for your time and attention today* >>> >>> >>> *Bernie 💚🍉* >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> *p.s.*🅿️ Get your ticket for 24th >>> February<https://luma.com/LCAforumFeb26> >>> >> >> >> _________________________________ >> Peggy Holman >> peggy@peggyholman.com >> >> Bellevue, WA  98006 >> 206-948-0432 >> www.peggyholman.com <http://www.peggyholman.com/> >> >> Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval >> into Opportunity <https://peggyholman.com/papers/engaging-emergence/> >> >> "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not >> get burnt, is to become >> the fire". >> -- Drew Dellinger >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> OSList mailing list --everyone@oslist.org >> To unsubscribe send an email toeveryone-leave@oslist.org >> See the archives >> here:https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org >> >> OSList mailing list --everyone@oslist.org >> To unsubscribe send an email toeveryone-leave@oslist.org >> See the archives here:https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org > > > OSList mailing list --everyone@oslist.org > To unsubscribe send an email toeveryone-leave@oslist.org > See the archives here:https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org Michael M Pannwitz Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany +49 30 7728000mmpannwitz@posteo.de See the Open Space World Map with 546 Open Space Workers living in 82 countries and active in 146 countries worldwide: www.openspaceworldmap.org