R.M.N., ultimul film al regizorului Cristian Mungiu, va putea fi vazut intr-o proiectie speciala in prezenta echipei, la Hotspot Workhub din Bucuresti, pe 21 iulie, incepand cu ora 19:30. Intrarea este libera:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1424058791355549

Spune-ne in cateva cuvinte despre cum a inceput pasiunea ta pentru film si actorie.

Pasiunea pentru actorie a aparut natural. In copilarie ai mei ascultau acasa viniluri cu piese de teatru si povesti all day long. Stiam pe dinafara texte intregi. Le jucam prietenilor din spatele blocului de la mine din Salajean.
Ca as putea face asta la un nivel profesionist m-am gandit abia in liceu, gand care m-a impins la teatrul studentesc Podul, unde m-a indrumat profu’ Catalin Naum spre UNATC.
Pentru film, am capatat pasiune dupa ce am inceput sa lucrez cate ceva. Am descoperit senzatia asta de adevar sau cel putin de cautare a lui in fata camerei, dincolo de conventie, si asta mi-a intrat in sistem ca un microb.

Cum a fost pentru tine experienta de a juca in acest film?

Lucrul la R.M.N. a fost un fel de invitatie la introspectie si la o stare permanenta de prezenta. Cristian m-a impins la ceva ce nu am mai facut pana la proiectul asta. A vrut sa vedem ce se intampla cu un om care e dincolo de puterea de a reactiona si de a se pozitiona clar fata de evenimentele si situatiile prin care trece; un fel de suspensie permanenta in propria existenta. Tehnic vorbind, m-a impins la un minimalism al mijloacelor dus la limita. Pentru inceput am fost destul de reticent ca orice actor care vrea “sa faca” lucruri. Dupa un timp mi-am dat seama ca era vorba de fapt despre o alta unitate de masura a lucrului, a timpului petrecut in fata aparatului.
Intens, pe scurt. A fost un proces intens, care s-a derulat pe toata durata filmarilor, aproximativ doua luni.

Care este perspectiva ta asupra filmului, din postura de spectator? Care a fost impactul cand ai vizionat prima data filmul final fata de cea avuta citind scenariul?

Mi-e destul de greu sa ma pozitionez obiectiv, sau cel putin sa ajung la prospetimea unui spectator.
Prima data am vazut filmul la Festivalul de la Cannes si a fost ciudat, cum este de obicei cand ma uit prima data la ceva la care am lucrat. A fost intens, date fiind conditiile vizionarii de acolo.
Mai aproape de o vizionare obiectiva a fost avanpremiera de la Sala Palatului.
Atunci parca am vazut alt film. Am putut sa-l vad mai relaxat. Si da, e un vulcan de film. Si pentru mine e un fel de cercetare a caracterului uman, in profunzime, texturat, stratificat, pe masura fiecaruia de intelegere. Si mi se pare ca e un film la care descoperi lucruri la fiecare vizionare.

R.M.N. spune o poveste despre resorturile profunde ale comportamentului uman in fata realitatilor care il surprind, despre relatia cu celalalt si despre felul in care ne raportam cu totii astazi la un viitor nelinistitor.

Regizorul Cristian Mungiu descrie filmul ca fiind „o poveste despre raportul dintre vremurile de odinioara – percepute ca fiind mai de incredere pentru ca ne devenisera familiare – si vremurile actuale, resimtite ca haotice. Este deopotriva o poveste despre auto-amagirea generata de un set de valori europene care raman mai degraba un deziderat decat o implinire. Este o poveste despre intoleranta si discriminare, despre prejudecati, stereotipuri, autoritate si libertate, o poveste despre lasitate si curaj, despre individ si mase, despre destinul personal versus cel colectiv. Este, de asemenea, o poveste despre supravietuire, despre saracie, despre frica si un viitor nelinistitor”.

R.M.N., ultimul film al regizorului Cristian Mungiu, va putea fi vazut intr-o proiectie speciala in prezenta echipei, la Hotspot Workhub din Bucuresti, pe 21 iulie, incepand cu ora 19:30. Intrarea este libera: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1424058791355549

Spune-ne in cateva cuvinte despre cum a inceput pasiunea ta pentru film si actorie.

Pasiunea mea pentru actorie a inceput relativ recent, cand am inceput sa descopar ce reprezinta arta actorului. Samanta a fost plantata in perioada in care ma pregateam pentru admitere, dar abia studenta fiind, tatonand procesul, incercand sa gasesc esenta, s-a nascut cu adevarat.

Cu dorinta de a fi actrita, in schimb, am cochetat din copilarie, la inceput plina de entuziasm si incredere, care ulterior s-a transformat intr-un vis irealizabil pe care l-am ascuns intr-un cufar indepartat al mintii mele, de care nu m-am mai apropiat deloc ani de zile, pana intr-un moment de rascruce in viata mea in care mi-am dat seama ca imi doresc implinire, sa ii dau vietii un sens mai profund si autentic, care sa se etaleze cu personalitatea mea. Am avut o conversatie sincera cu mine si mi-am adus aminte de acest vis uitat. Asta se intampla la 22 de ani. Acum am 25.

Pasiunea pentru film a renascut si ea, sau mai degraba s-a metamorfozat odata ce am patruns pe culmele cunoasterii prin evolutia mea ca actrita, dar si cu maturizarea mea personala. Dintr-un contemplator am devenit un observator ceea ce mi-a schimbat perceptia asupra artei cinematografice. A crescut interesul, nivelul de intelegere, atentia la subtilitati, s-au schimbat si gusturile.

Cum a fost pentru tine experienta de a juca in acest film?

Experienta de a juca in acest film, cot la cot cu acesti MINUNATI oameni, a fost, ad litteram, o experienta. A fost marcant, in primul rand, pentru ca a fost un debut, primul proiect, pe film, la care am lucrat. Sa fac primii pasi, in aceasta meserie, alaturi de o chipa atat de speciala, a fost si este o onoare si i-am facut cu entuziasm si incredere deplina. Stiam ca sunt pe maini bune. In al doilea rand, am invatat foarte multe lucruri despre munca pe platou, dar si despre mine, ca actrita. Cat de disponibila sunt, cata rabdare am, ce functioneaza, sau nu, pentru mine, in timpul lucrului, ce blocaje am, unde mai am de muncit. Insa cel mai important, cat de mult imi doresc sa repet acest gen de experienta de care m-am indragostit.

Care este perspectiva ta asupra filmului, din postura de spectator? Care a fost impactul cand ai vizionat prima data filmul final fata de cea avuta citind scenariul?

Scenariul integral, noi actorii, nu l-am citit niciodata, doar propriile partituri. Nu ni s-a spus: ”nu aveti voie sa-l cititi”, dar vazand ca trece timpul si nu-l primim, mi-am dat seama. Mi s-a parut interesant, am intuit ca exista un motiv bine intemeiat, m-a intrigat si mi-a placut. Entuziasmul de a vedea varianta finala a montarii era, respectiv, si mai mare. Prima vizionare a avut loc la festivalul de la Cannes, unde eram asaltata de zeci de emotii, pe care cu greu reusesc sa le identific si sa le definesc chiar si acum, si care mi-au perturbat intr-o oarecare masura atentia din timpul vizionarii. Abia la cea de-a doua vizionare, am gustat cu adevarat din film. Am descoperit cat umor, dar si cata profunzime are, cat de potriviti pe rol sunt colegii mei si cat de bine joaca, cat de precis e construit totul: textul, scenele, imaginea, sunetul. Am inceput sa le spun tuturor ”sa mergeti sa vedeti filmul, neaparat, merita”.

Dupa ce am vazut filmul inca de cateva ori, pot spune ca niciodata nu e la fel, de fiecare data pare ca este despre altceva. Personajul principal, in jurul caruia se dezvolta actiunea, se schimba, iar complexitatea sau marimea partiturii lui, devine irelevanta in raport cu povestea, ceea ce mi se pare fascinant. Poate asta e definitia unui film bun.

Press release: Bucharest, June 21, 2022

Hotspot, the premium flexible offices provider, will open Hotspot SkyHub, the first coworking space designed specifically for hybrid work

Following the successful launch in 2020 of Hotspot Workhub, located in The Mark Building, near Piata Victoriei, a space that sets new standards for quality, comfort and safety, the German real estate consultants, REC Partners, will open their second professional hub this fall, designed for companies looking for flexible and innovative offices.

Hotspot SkyHub will open on the top floors of one of the most iconic office buildings in Bucharest – Orhideea Towers, offering members a panoramic view of the city and an environment designed from the beginning for hybrid work. All offices will have natural light, openable windows, interactive screens and can be equipped with video conferencing devices, so that team members working from home can be integrated into the office teams. The spacious common areas, the specialty coffee, the gourmet snacks, come to complete an office lifestyle that the employees desire.

Just 10 minutes away from the centre, surrounded by universities and student campuses, new office buildings and retail areas, the Orhideea area has become the main hub of technology companies in Romania. Public transport in the area and the road infrastructure are among the best in Bucharest.

After more than 18 years of experience in consulting and designing office spaces, REC Partners intends to change the paradigm of coworking – from crowded, improvised, temporary offices to high-end interactive and productive spaces.

“I am glad to see that our first space has the success we wanted and that we managed to be the most attractive coworking space on the market. Now, with the help of our partners and valuable customer feedback, we can continue to innovate and provide solutions for companies that invest in employee comfort and balance. Our clients realize the incredible capital that their teams represent and invest a lot in attracting new talent. We want to use our full experience to help them succeed and be competitive”, said Tudor Popp, founding partner of Hotspot Workhub.

2 years after the launch of Hotspot Workhub, now at a 100% occupancy level, the success of the concept is confirmed by Hotspot members who appreciate the top features, office equipment and furniture, meeting rooms, the spectacular lobby in which it operates Hotspot Café, next to the conference room with movable walls, the atmosphere and the Hotspot team that is always at their service.

The BREEAM Excellent certification and WELL Health & Safety rating confirm the clear direction of Hotspot to meet the most demanding requirements of corporations and to compete with the best traditional offices. The concept developed together with Biroarchitetti from Milan brings an important change of vision for flexible offices in Romania, focusing on essential elements of sustainability and ergonomics.

The transaction was mediated by Eduard Turcoman – director of Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Orhideea Towers was developed by CA Immo in accordance with the company’s high quality standards in terms of design, technical specifications and sustainability criteria and received the LEED platinum certificate of sustainability. The building with 15 floors and 36,300 square meters has 400 parking spaces, all facilities for cyclists, a restaurant, a cafe, a supermarket and a bank.

REC Partners is an international team of engineers, architects and economists. Founded in 2004 in Germany and in 2006 in Bucharest. REC has supported clients across Europe in developing, operating or improving their over 15 million sqm of real estate properties, over the past 18 years. Clients are investment funds, banks, real estate developers and corporations looking to improve the efficiency of their real estate assets.

RO 

Comunicat de presă: București, 21 iunie, 2022

Hotspot, furnizorul premium de birouri flexibile, va deschide Hotspot SkyHub, primul spațiu de coworking proiectat special pentru modul de lucru hibrid

După lansarea cu succes in 2020 a Hotspot Workhub in clădirea The Mark, in apropriere de Piața Victoriei, un spațiu care stabilește noi standarde de calitate, confort și siguranța la birou, consultanții imobiliari germani REC Partners vor deschide în această toamnă cel de-al doilea hub profesional companiilor care caută spații de birouri flexibile și inovatoare.

Hotspot SkyHub se va deschide la ultimele etaje ale uneia dintre cele mai emblematice clădiri de birouri din București – Orhideea Towers, oferind membrilor o vedere panoramica asupra orașului si un mediu gândit de la început pentru lucrul hibrid. Toate birourile vor avea lumină naturală, ferestre care se deschid, ecrane interactive și vor putea fi echipate cu echipamente de videoconferință, astfel încât colegii de acasă sa poate fi integrați in echipele de la birou. Zonele spațioase de relaxare, cafeaua de specialitate, gustările gourmet, vin sa completeze un stil de viată la birou pe care angajații sa si-l dorească.

La doar 10 minute distanta de centru, înconjurată de universități și campusuri studențești, de clădiri noi de birouri și de spații comerciale, zona Orhideea a devenit principalul hub al companiilor de tehnologie din România. Transportul public din zona și infrastructură rutieră sunt printre cele mai bune din Bucuresti.

După mai bine de 18 ani de experiența in consultanța si proiectarea spațiilor de birouri, intenția REC Partners este sa schimbe paradigma coworking-ului – de la birouri aglomerate, improvizate, temporare, la spații high-end interactive si productive.

„Sunt bucuros să văd că primul nostru spațiu are succesul pe care ni l-am dorit și că am reușit sa fim cel mai atractiv spațiu de coworking. Acum, cu ajutorul partenerilor noștri și al feedback-ului valoros din partea clienților, putem să continuăm inovarea și să oferim soluții destinate companiilor care investesc în confortul și echilibrul angajaților. Clienții noștri realizează capitalul incredibil pe care îl reprezintă echipele lor și investesc foarte mult pentru atragerea de noi talente. Dorim să folosim întreaga noastră experiență pentru a-i sprijini să aibă succes și sa fie competitivi”, declară Tudor Popp, partener fondator Hotspot Workhub.

La 2 ani de la lansarea Hotspot Workhub, aflat acum la un nivel de ocupare de 100%, succesul conceptului este confirmat de membrii Hotspot care apreciază dotările de top, echipamentele si mobilierul de birou, sălile de ședința, lobby-ul spectaculos in care funcționează Hotspot Café, alături de sala de conferințe cu pereți mobili, atmosfera si echipa Hotspot mereu in sprijinul lor.

Certificarea BREEAM Excellent si rating-ul WELL Health & Safety confirmă direcția clară a Hotspot care răspunde celor mai exigente cerințe ale corporațiilor și concurează cu cele mai bune birouri tradiționale. Conceptul realizat împreuna cu Biroarchitetti din Milano aduce o schimbare importanta de viziune pentru birourile flexibile din România, concentrându-se pe elemente esențiale de sustenabilitate și ergonomie.

Tranzacția a fost intermediată de Eduard Turcoman – director Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Orhideea Towers a fost dezvoltat de CA Immo în conformitate cu standardele înalte de calitate ale companiei în ceea ce privește designul, specificațiile tehnice și criteriile de sustenabilitate și a primit certificatul de sustenabilitate LEED platinum. Clădirea cu 15 etaje și 36.300 mp are 400 de locuri de parcare, toate facilitățile pentru bicicliști, un restaurant, o cafenea, un supermarket și o bancă.

REC Partners este o echipă internațională de ingineri, arhitecți și economiști. Înființată în 2004 în Germania și în 2006 în București, REC a sprijinit clienți in toată Europa in dezvoltarea, operarea sau îmbunătățirea proprietăților lor imobiliare de peste 15 milioane mp în ultimii 18 ani. Clienții sunt fonduri de investiții, bănci, dezvoltatori imobiliari și corporații care caută să își îmbunătățească eficiența activelor imobiliare.

In this short interview you get to meet the creative people behind the food brand served at Hotspot Café: London Street Bakery! They make delicious hand-made food, 100% Gluten Free and 0 % refined sugar!

They put a lot of dedication in all the cooking process and use only natural ingredients that are also rich in nutrients. They love to make tasty vegan food too, high in protein and low in carbs.

What is your food philosophy?

It has to taste good AND be nutritious! It’s very easy to have one without the other and quite complex to make a vegan gluten free low calories meal that doesn’t taste like cardboard 🙂

Tell us a few words about you two, please.

We are currently working on a bigger project to encompass the two brands we have now which are the LoveBirds Crackers and the London Street Bakery products from Hotspot, but you can find us and our weekly menu at lovebirds.ro.

Tudor is a graphic designer and a chef:
Started cooking 10 years ago, always enjoyed it, wanted to make a business out of it and chose to make a bunch of goodies for a lot of people to enjoy. Takes care of the kitchen where all the magic happens and creates logos and packaging in his free time. Loves raccoons, pasta and red wine.

Rachel is an accountant and a chef:
Started cooking 30 years ago with her family, had a restaurant and a catering business also wanted to cook and provide friends and customers with awesome products so she started the kitchen where we do our thing. Tries to bake as much as humanly possible.
Loves jam, traveling and baking.

How is London Street Bakery at Hotspot events? 

For each event we want to set up a refreshing menu, suited for the place and the context. So great tasting, nutritious snack and light food ideas, not heavy or carb rich. At Hotspot Café we serve high protein gluten free food. This is a perfect fit for such an active place. For events that take place here, we are channeling the same energy and try to make lovely quick bites that taste great but don’t leave you lethargic. So, on short – vegetarian, quick and energetic. This is how it was also for our first event here – Hotspot Aperitivo.

What made you choose to collaborate with Hotspot Workhub?
We chose Hotspot because we met in the same diagram of principles so we’re a great fit for each other.

Tell us in three words what food means for you.
Delicious, veggie and nutritious.

7 LEVELS OF DRAWING, Reflections on Free-hand Drawing and Architecture

Stefan Davidovici
Architect
Lecturer, NABA Milan

‘I draw all the time’
(Cino Zucchi, Inspiration and process in Architecture, Moleskine 2012)

ABSTRACT

These reflections about free-hand drawing or architecture are born straight from direct professional practice. They are supposed to stimulate students and architects to use free-hand drawing, a technical and intellectual instrument connected with architecture since its dawn, that nowadays demonstrates its increasing relevance in the context of the dominance of the digital representation technologies in our field.

Gradually, in successive steps, the reflections enlarge the perspective of what free-hand drawing can do. Starting from the first level, the basic representation of reality, we go on towards properly perceiving the space around us; including the fourth dimension, the time, in our representations; leaving the realm of form and function to explore freely imaginary architectures; and finally learning to make and use abstract drawings. Far from being mental acrobatics or simple demonstrations of graphic skill, these uses of drawing are instruments used to improve, during time, our intellectual and design skills.

The reflections revolve around one of the main functions of free-hand drawings for architects – expressing the conceptual thinking at the base of any project – but they touch it only in the last step, the only one not illustrated with the author’s drawings, that discusses the ever-disputed connection between the ability to draw and the ability to produce high-quality architecture.

Theoretical references are avoided, in order to enhance the immediacy and accessibility of the message.

EVENT STRUCTURE:
1 – LECTURE
The lecture is fully illustrated with screen projections of hand-made drawings, mostly by the author, and takes around 45 minutes.
2 – WORKSHOP
The lecture is paired with one/two session/s of live drawing for three hours.
3 – EXHIBITION
A selection of drawings that illustrate the seven levels is exposed for the duration of the RDW.

THE 7 LEVELS OF DRAWING

1. REALITY
Drawing what we see, as opposed to simply snapping one more picture with our cellphone, puts us in direct, active relation with our subjects. We literally have to pass what we see through our eyes, minds and fingers. The result is that drawing makes us understand what we see at a much deeper and more intuitive level.
But most drawings depict just a simplified image of a frozen-in-time reality seen from a single point of view.

2. AUGMENTED REALITY
At any given moment, our perception of space is built from a small area of focused image and a much-larger, unclear sphere of space around it; in this very moment the reader of this text can perceive the room around him/her without having to specifically look outside this page. In this respect ‘larger’ drawings are more true to reality than the regular, ‘focused’ ones.

3. THE FOURTH DIMENSION
Our perception of any given space is not limited to a single photogram, but is a complex mental construction made out of a succession of images put together.
Time is a fundamental element in creating this ‘mental image’ and can become part of our drawings in a variety of ways.

4. IMAGINARY ARCHITECTURES
We have no reason whatsoever to stop our exploration of the expressiveness of the Architectural space – the one original artistic side of Architecture – at the buildings we manage to realize during our careers. The exploration of imaginary architectures is a cost-free, powerful mental-gymnastics exercise for architects.

5. ABSTRACTION
Imaginary architectures slowly give way to actual abstract drawings, where lines of force organize themselves in ways that escape our logic but seem to respect a superior, complex order.

6. ORIGINALITY
Is anything we do – including the reflections just presented and the drawings that illustrate them – really original? Doesn’t seem so – humanity seems to advance mostly incrementally, in small steps that always are based on previous achievements. Our own drawings will seldom – if at all – be amazing, original works of art, but even the humblest sketch has its own value and represents a step ahead for the person that made it. Originality is personal.

7. SKETCHING AND ARCHITECTURE
Are the ability to draw and the ability to produce high-quality architecture connected or inter-dependent? Wonderful question with many answers. What is certain is that a consistent set of anecdotic evidence suggests that most great architects tend to express themselves easily through free-hand drawing.

Stefan Davidovici Architect and Lecturer, NABA Milan

We’re back with our series of #MembersOfProxi interviews with entrepreneurs, teams and freelancers who chose the inspiring space of Hotspot Proxi – Modul flexoffice for their remote work. This time, we had the chance to talk to the members of a creative agency.

Ada Antofi, the visual content creator, was more than happy to let us take a peek behind the scenes of what she does and share her impressions of this #hotspotspace.

Hey, Ada! Please tell us a few words about you and your work!

Hey! I am 23 years old and passionate about visual content creation, fashion and beauty. I work on different projects now, doing photo shootings, video content and visual identities for various brands.

Each day comes with surprises as we have a very dynamic rhythm, but I am flexible and eager to help build the new projects together with the team.

What was the process in choosing the flexible working option?

Since the pandemic, our agency decided to let us work from wherever we feel safe and comfortable. So, even if we sometimes gather the entire team, most of the time we keep virtual meetings and everybody works from home or any other space that has the facilities we need.

Why did you choose to work from Hotspot Proxi?

I really enjoy working from Hotspot Proxi because it’s in the center of the city, so me and my colleagues can easily arrive here and also this place has that cozy atmosphere I am looking for all the time. It’s quiet, relaxing so I can be very productive and creative in what I do. Not to mention the great coffee and tea!

How would you describe Hotspot Proxi Modul in 3 words?

Cozy, playful, creative.

For those who don’t know you yet, please tell us a few words about High Level.

High Level is a full-service BTL advertising agency, founded in 2006.
We have experience in all types of BTL services and work with clients in many fields, specializing in telecom, fmcg and finance.
We like to work with people and we have coordinated thousands of people over time. We like to form teams that last over time, to produce promotional campaigns and organize Events.
Our customers chose us because we are serious, trustworthy, we never promised more than we could do but we often delivered much more than we promised.

What are the essential or innovative aspects of the solution you propose?

The essential aspects of the services we offer to our clients are the fact that we as a Team have been together for 15 years and we have seen and done a lot together.
We sometimes joke and say that we will write a book with all of our experiences.
We always think of the most efficient, feasible, achievable solutions, as if we were making them for ourselves and paying them with our personal money. That is, we take care to offer the best service for the business context of each client.

How and why did High Level choose to have offices at Hotspot?

We came to visit the Hotspot Workhub flexoffice on a rainy, cloudy February day, and we loved it.
My thought is that if you like a place on a less sunny day, then you will like it on any other day of the year and you will come to work in that place with pleasure.
We liked the location of the building, the interior design, especially the common spaces and the access to the facilities.

How is the team doing here?

Our team feels very integrated in the space of Hotspot and appreciates the fact that we feel part of Hotspot’s community and receive help when we need it.
Everything is very clean and safe accordingly the health context we live in these times. Hotspot’s team gives us permanent diversity, and this is a wonderful thing, which refreshes the routine of office work.

What are Hotspot’s facilities that are most useful and enjoyable for you in your business?

We like the fact that we have our own dedicated office, but at the same time we can use the open space area when we feel the need to see another decor. We also used the meeting rooms whenever we needed to. In addition, we like to eat together in the kitchen. We appreciate the constant maintenance of cleanliness and the fact that there is always someone at the Hotspot who can help us with a personalized request (Like when Hana bought us cake candles. It was great!).

If you were to describe Hotspot in three words, what would those be?

Modern, friendly, central.

RO 

#MembersOfHotspot – Interviu cu Raluca Iorgulescu – Client Service Manager, High Level

Pentru cei care inca nu va cunosc, spune-ne cateva cuvinte despre High Level.

High Level este o agentie de publicitate BTL full-service, fondata in 2006.
Avem experienta in toate tipurile de servicii BTL si lucram cu clienti din foarte multe domenii, cu specializare in telecom, fmcg si finance.
Ne place sa lucram cu oameni si am coordonat mii de oameni de-a lungul timpului. Ne place sa formam echipe care rezista in timp, sa producem campanii promotionale si sa organizam Evenimente.
Clientii nostri ne-au ales pentru ca suntem seriosi, de incredere, nu am promis niciodata mai mult decat puteam face dar am livrat de multe ori mult mai mult decat am promis.

Care sunt aspectele esentiale sau inovatoare ale solutiei propuse de voi?

Aspectele esentiale ale serviciilor pe care le oferim clientilor nostri sunt faptul ca noi ca Echipa, suntem de 15 ani impreuna si am vazut si am facut multe impreuna.
Glumim cateodata si spunem ca vom scrie o carte cu toate experientele noastre.
Gandim mereu solutii cat mai eficiente, fezabile, realizabile, ca si cum le-am face pentru noi si le-am plati din banii nostri personali. Adica avem grija sa oferim cel mai bun serviciu, in contextul de business al fiecarui client.

Cum si de ce a ales High Level sa aiba birourile la Hotspot?

Am venit sa vizitam birourile de la Hotspot Workhub intr-o zi ploioasa si intunecoasa de februarie si ne-a placut din prima.
Gandul meu este ca daca un loc iti va placea intr-o zi fara soare, atunci iti va placea in oricare alta zi a anului si vei veni sa muncesti in acel loc cu placere.
Ne-a placut locatia cladirii, cum este amenajat tot spatiul in interior, mai ales spatiile comune si accesul la facilitati.

Cum se simte echipa aici?

Echipa noastra se simte foarte integrata in spatiul Hotspot si apreciaza mult faptul ca ne simtim parte din comunitatea Hotspot si primim ajutor atunci cand avem nevoie.
Totul este foarte curat si sigur in contextul sanitar pe care il traim in aceste vremuri. Echipa Hotspot ne ofera diversitate permanent, iar asta este un lucru minunat, care intrerupe rutina lucratului la birou.

Care sunt facilitatile de la Hotspot care va sunt cele mai utile si placute in activitatea voastra?

Ne place faptul ca avem biroul nostru dedicat, dar in acelasi timp putem folosi zona de open space cand simtim nevoia sa vedem alt decor. De asemenea, am folosit salile de sedinta ori de cate ori am avut nevoie. In plus, ne place sa mancam impreuna in bucatarie. Apreciem intretinerea permanenta a curateniei si faptul ca exista tot timpul cineva de la Hotspot care ne poate intampina cate o solicitare personalizata (Cum ar fi atunci cand Hana ne-a cumparat lumanari de tort. A fost super!).

Daca ar fi sa descrii Hotspot prin trei cuvinte, care ar fi acelea?

Modern, prietenos, central.

At the beginning of the year we have the best time for skiing or snowboarding, as the temperatures drop and there is plenty of snow on the slopes. Experienced skiers, but also intermediates can really cover some ground, as most of the ski resorts are open by now – locally and in other countries. There are plenty of  ski schools and instructors, so it can be the perfect time for beginners to start learning a new sport and discover a new passion.

The pandemics helped with the concept of remote working (and a more flexible schedule), so why not work in the mornings and enjoy the ski slope during the lunch break or in the afternoon? A lot of employees, but also managers, CEOs and freelancers took the opportunity and chose the ski resorts instead of their home town for this month. It is an enjoyable way of spending the first month of the year and also a great way to tick some resolutions regarding sport and movement early on.

The last two years showed us the importance of sport for a healthy lifestyle and for a fresh mind and increased motivation at work, so working remotely from the ski resort can help you be productive and relax at the same time.

Spend time with your family in some fresh and open air and get them involved in some fun activities together on weekends or in the afternoon, after work. The working program is now more flexible than ever, so it’s up to you how you spend your free time. Ski schools, nurseries or children playgrounds can be found in almost every resort, so don’t worry about this. Every member of the family can find a way of enjoying it.

Combine working with skiing and discover new places, new cultures, new people. Taste different food and enjoy the change of scenery once in a while. Everything you could imagine is now possible and it can be done easily. You need only a laptop and some WIFI at the hotel room and you can keep all your meetings online and work in the same way as you did from home.

If you haven’t already booked your tickets or you plan a second trip, now is the perfect time!

When you are back in Bucharest, a new flexoffice for your remote work awaits to be discovered: Hotspot Proxi, situated in Modul Carturesti, at the ground floor of the University of Architecture and Urban Planning of Bucharest. Freshly open in the heart of the city center: https://www.facebook.com/ModulCarturesti

You have here all the professional facilities you need to work on your projects and a bohemian atmosphere that for sure will inspire you every day.

We hit the start of 2022 with a dear interview to us, with Andreas SCHLOTE, co-founder of Hotspot Workhub, who believed since the beginning in the visionary concept of this unique professional workhub.

Can you tell us a few words about your involvement in the development of Hotspot?

The Hotspot project is an ongoing process. The first idea came out in a discussion with the REC Partners board members two and a half years ago – February 2019 – in Frankfurt. Also it was an old dream of mine and Tudor’s (Tudor Popp) to do such projects, to develop them. I have done sketches for something like this more than 10 years ago – aiming to gather a great diversity of clients in a single location and to have additional services for their needs.
So Tudor came in with a much more detailed idea and AHK Romania already became interested in it. This was a confirmation that we were on the right track and we kept our spirits high all along developing it. Now the involvement is much more than at the beginning and we have perspectives for growth.

What is your experience with offices and what brought you to Romania?

My former job was as Manager Director of Quickborner Team (QT) and now I bring all this experience in being a discussion partner for Tudor in the process of developing Hotspot – a project I trust and believed in since the beginning and in which I invested not just money but ideas and energy. I love the idea and the dynamic of this special market, because when you look back, we had lots of years with always the same boring offices and now it’s like we are in a fast machine driving to a totally different place than the past. And to be part of the development of this next big step is so interesting. This is so much more than delivering space to the customer. It is about developing services that the customer will need in the future. Offices are more and more a place where people meet and the place of working is everywhere. This makes the process of designing more fun, to make it serve the purpose of the concept.

My career in this domain started a long time ago in a consulting company that “invented” the Landscape Office (the first open space concept) and we did projects all around the world, before the so-called “cubical” office was a thing. I have worked on offices for thousands and thousands of workplaces and on important projects for big companies, gaining a wide perspective on what this kind of place means for each category of users. I come back to the saying that it is not only about the space, it’s about how a company can work best.

What are your perspectives now on what you are doing for REC and Hotspot?

As me and my team worked to develop and improve the workplaces, every time we looked at what the workers are doing and how this can be changed. I have done such a job for Commerzbank for the process of giving credit to the customers. We put all the steps involved in a scheme on a wall to make it viewable and this way we could have a different perspective and find ways to make everything more efficient, as the customers need, and transform let’s say 73 steps into just 3.

This is what I want to bring now, additional to what we are doing here at Hotspot. To offer more organizational consultancy. Therefore, we offer the space and the system for the customer to work better than its competitors. So they come to us to work better, not just for the place. It’s a big difference! This way you don’t just evolve your business, you have in the same place companies that may collaborate in the future and innovate. I see pictures from different workhubs and I see that this part is missing.

My focus is to look primarily at the process, to support it and understand all the insights. This is also the main idea behind REC and what we have done in the past for Fraport, the operating company of Frankfurt Airport. We helped them reorganize lots of things and with all this background we want to bring the best supporting product on the market now.

What was your impression when you first saw the finished project?

Tudor was and is the right person to do this. He has experience in designing, attention to details and knows how to transform into reality everything that we discuss. Otherwise, we have made the right choices for Hotspot. Can’t be better – the location is good, the building is modern, the design and the objects are top notch, the area, the restaurants…everything is perfectly linked. And putting aside the other aspects, COVID is also giving a push for this change that is needed. In a couple of years, every big working space has to have at least a part of it managed by companies like us. And landlords will have to take this into serious consideration.

What do you see in the future for Hotspot?

We see this concept developing in Romania and also in other countries, especially in Eastern Europe.

We continue our series of #MembersOfHotspot interviews with entrepreneurs and freelancers who have chosen to work from the creative space of Hotspot Proxi. These talks with the people from Hotspot community inspire us and motivate us to offer the best solutions for the development of the business environment in Romania.

Today we talked to Ana Stănescu, a brave entrepreneur, who started her own business at the age of 24. She is the co-founder of PlaYouth, an NGO that through its projects supports non-formal education, the development of the relationship between children and parents and brings alternative solutions for the development of teachers. Moreover, PlaYouth has in its portfolio CSR and employee loyalty projects.

Hello, Ana! Please tell us a few words about you and PlaYouth!
Hello and I’m glad to have the opportunity to have this discussion with you!

About me? I don’t even know what to start with 🙂 I am a mother of 1 year and 11 months, but even if it is a demanding and beautiful role in my life, I find solutions to efficiently divide my time between the professional and the personal side. This new role also motivates me professionally, because it makes me aware of the importance of PlaYouth’s mission, but it challenges me to find alternative workspaces that meet the constantly changing needs of mine and my team.

PlaYouth is the business I created from scratch, together with a team of talented and ambitious young people and which, after more than 6 years, remained my soul project. Through it we want to change the way children, parents and teachers develop and interact with each other, this important “triangle” for a solid foundation in our society.
At the same time, the demands on the corporate side have increased, the managers understanding the importance of connecting people and extra work activities, which helps them get closer and maintain a balance between personal and professional, and we facilitate such actions.

How did PlaYouth’s activity change with the pandemic?
It has changed enormously, I would have really wished for this not to have happened, because now most of the activities take place online, but we believe that this was a business lesson, that of being able to adapt to the market context and to the reality of which we are a part of.

Most activities now take place with adults, parents and teachers. If at the beginning we tried to hold activities with children, we quickly adapted by proposing a very flexible calendar in the market because nothing corresponded to what we were used to, many events were planned and canceled due to restrictions, so we changed the target audience and the activities we offer. But now we are delighted with the switch that the business has made and we have met many teachers eager to learn.

We have adapted many of our activities and created workshops for employees, through which they can spend time together, from which they can take energy and inspiration and through which they can get to know their team better.
In addition, we carry out CSR projects for the benefit of children in day centers or placement centers, adapted to the new conditions in which we can work with them.

Why did you choose to work at Hotspot Proxi during this period?
This space fits very well with me and the team. Personally, when I need inspiration or peace, I choose to go to a bookstore – I usually read or just walk among the shelves. I can do this here, but I also have a space equipped with all the tools I need when I work. I can focus here, and the decision-making process is much easier. It is definitely a place that inspires you and has it all. Also, after I leave the “mobile office” I can buy something nice as a surprise for my kid.

In our family, we have never been fans of combining the “home” space with the “office” space, but in the current situation we have to do this, so Hotspot Proxi is a real help when you feel the need for alternatives.

How did you like the atmosphere here? What caught your attention?
Another important place for me, after the bookstores, is BCU – the Central Library in Cluj – where I studied for college exams and where I like to come back whenever I have the opportunity. There is a lot of peace, there are books and people studying. I had the same feeling here – I have a space dedicated to me, where I can solve everything related to PlaYouth tasks and processes. Moreover, it is in a central area and I have everything I need for the professional part – professional facilities, ergonomic furniture and a meeting room with the “different” vibe.

I really liked the design, the arrangement of the tables, the atmosphere – it’s a very interesting mix between study and relaxation. You feel good when you work here and ideas flow more easily, discussions are more energetic, even if some are only online 🙂 I also noticed the very good sound background – I heard here one of my favorite songs of all time.

Describe Hotspot Proxi workspace inside Verso Carturesti in 3 words.
Artistic, Practical, Inspirational.

RO

#MembersOfHotspot – Interviu cu Ana Stanescu, Co-fondator PlaYouth

Continuam seria noastra de interviuri #MembersOfHotspot cu antreprenori si freelanceri care au ales sa lucreze din spatiul creativ de la Hotspot Proxi. Aceste discutii cu oamenii din comunitatea Hotspot ne inspira si ne motiveaza sa oferim cele mai bune solutii pentru dezvoltarea mediului de business din Romania.

Azi am discutat cu Ana Stănescu, o antreprenoare curajoasa, care si-a lansat propriul business la varsta de 24 de ani. Este co-fondator PlaYouth, ONG care prin proiectele sale sustine educatia non-formala, dezvoltarea relatiei dintre copii si parinți si aduce solutii alternative pentru dezvoltarea profesorilor. Mai mult decat atat, PlaYouth are in portofoliu proiecte de CSR si de fidelizare a angajatilor.

Buna, Ana! Te rugam sa ne spui cateva cuvinte despre tine si PlaYouth!
Buna si ma bucur sa avem ocazia sa discutam!

Despre mine? Nici nu știu cu ce să încep 🙂 Sunt mamica de 1 an si 11 luni, insa chiar daca este un rol solicitant si frumos in viata mea, gasesc solutii pentru a-mi imparti eficient timpul intre latura profesionala si cea personala. Acest nou rol ma motiveaza si profesional, deoarece ma face sa constientizez importanta misiunii PlaYouth, insa ma provoaca sa gasesc alternative de spatii de lucru care sa raspunda nevoilor constant in schimbare ale mele si ale echipei.

PlaYouth este business-ul pe care l-am creat de la 0, alaturi de o echipa de tineri talentati si ambitiosi și care, dupa mai bine de 6 ani, a ramas proiectul meu de suflet. Prin el ne dorim sa schimbam modul in care se dezvolta si interactioneaza intre ei copiii, parintii si profesorii, acest ”triunghi” important pentru o baza solida in societatea noastra.
In acelasi timp, au crescut cererile pe partea corporate, managerii intelegand importanta conectarii dintre oameni si a activitatilor extra job, care ii ajuta sa se apropie mai mult si sa mentina un echilibru intre personal si profesional, iar noi facilitam astfel de actiuni.

Cum s-a schimbat activitatea PlaYouth odată cu pandemia?
S-a schimbat enorm, mi-as fi dorit extrem de mult sa nu se fi intamplat asta, pentru ca acum mai toate activitatile se desfasoara online, insa credem ca a fost o lectie de business, aceea de a reusi sa ne adaptam contextului pietei si a realitatii din care facem parte.

Cele mai multe activitati se întâmplă acum cu adulți, parinti și profesori. Daca la inceput am incercat sa tinem si activitati cu copiii, ne-am adaptat rapid propunand in piata un calendar foarte flexibil pentru ca nimic nu mai corespundea cu ce eram obișnuiți noi, multe evenimente au fost planificate si anulate din cauza restrictiilor, asa ca am schimbat publicul tinta si activitatile pe care le oferim. Dar acum suntem incantati de switch-ul pe care l-a facut business-ul si am cunoscut multi profesori dornici de invatare.

Am adaptat multe dintre activitatile noastre si am creat workshop-uri destinate angajatilor, prin care acestia sa petreaca un timp impreuna, din care sa isi ia energie si inspiratie si prin care sa isi cunoasca echipa mai bine.
In plus, desfasuram proiecte de CSR in beneficiul copiilor din centrele de zi sau de plasament, adaptate la noile conditii in care putem lucra cu acestia.

De ce ai ales să lucrezi în această perioadă de la Hotspot Proxi?
Acest spatiu se potriveste foarte bine cu mine si cu echipa. Personal, cand am nevoie de inspiratie sau liniste aleg sa merg intr-o librarie – obisnuiesc sa citesc sau doar sa ma plimb printre rafturi. Aici pot sa fac asta, dar am si un spatiu dotat cu toate instrumentele de care am nevoie atunci cand lucrez. Aici ma pot concentra, iar procesul de luare a deciziilor este mult mai facil. E cu siguranta un loc care te inspira si le are pe toate. Apoi, pot sa ii mai iau si celui mic cate o surpriza cand plec de la “biroul mobil”.

In familia noastra, nu am fost niciodata adeptii imbinarii spatiului de ”acasa” cu cel de ”birou”, insa in situatia actuala suntem nevoiti sa facem asta, asa ca Hotspot Proxi e un real ajutor atunci cand simti nevoia de alternative.

Cum ti s-a părut atmosfera de aici? Ce ti-a atras atentia?
Un alt loc important pentru mine, dupa librării, e BCU – Biblioteca Centrala din Cluj – unde invatam pentru examenele din facultate si unde imi place sa revin de cate ori am ocazia. Acolo e multa liniste, sunt carti si oameni care studiaza. Aceeasi stare am trait-o si aici – am un spatiu dedicat mie, in care pot rezolva tot ce tine zilnic de task-urile si procesele PlaYouth. Mai mult, este intr-o zona centrala si am tot ce este nevoie pentru partea profesionala – facilitati profesionale, mobilier ergonomic si o sala de sedinte “altfel”.

Mi-au placut mult design-ul, aranjarea meselor, atmosfera – e un mix foarte interesant intre studiu si relaxare. Te simti bine cand lucrezi aici si ideile curg mai usor, discutiile sunt cu mai multa energie, chiar daca unele sunt doar online 🙂 Am remarcat si fundalul sonor foarte bun – am auzit aici una dintre piesele mele preferate din toate timpurile. Ce-ti poti dori mai mult?

Descrie in 3 cuvinte spatiul de lucru Hotspot Proxi din incinta Verso Carturesti.
Artistic, Practic, Inspirational.