Cloud Spaces opens at Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi: 'Our goal is to promote collaboration'

The co-working space features desks, offices and boardrooms, as well as a cafe and small putting green for where the real deals get done

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  Cloud Spaces, a flexible workspace solution with cubicles, meeting rooms and contemporary serviced offices, has opened at Yas Mall. All photos by Victor Besa / The National

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  The space includes a socially-distant lounge area for people to work at.

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  The space spans 2,000 square metres.

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  The space will also offer up employee services to help with things such as making copies or paperwork.

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  Restrooms also have washer and dryers that members can use.

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  There's also a cafe inside the space for coffee, tea or snacks.

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  Cloud Spaces has its own audio room for those who want to produce or create audio work, such as podcasts.

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  Private offices still get plenty of natural light.

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  Another work station inside Cloud Spaces.

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  An open desk work station.

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  A woman works on her laptop at Cloud Spaces.

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  The office spaces get natural light from the mall.

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  Desks in front of The Cloud Deck near the cafe.

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  Boardrooms are also equipped with cameras for videoconferencing.

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  A mini photo studio is located near the reception area that members can use.

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  The Cloud Deck features the Drop Coffee cafe where workers can go for a break.

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  Cubicles feature soundproof walls.

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  Private offices line the walls of Cloud Spaces.

What is the future of the office? These days, due to the pandemic, working remotely seems to be a viable option with more employees doing so from home. However, not everyone enjoys having their living space turned into an office. As people begin to have more control over where they work from, remote work spaces are becoming a popular option.

Last week, Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi welcomed Cloud Spaces, a business and lifestyle co-working space that spans 2,000 square metres. The concept is ideal for those looking for an inspiring place to work, as it offers private offices, sound-proof cubicles, open work desks and meeting rooms – all available to book on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis.

“Our goal is to promote collaboration and become a community hub for the evolving business landscape,” says Malak Smejkalova, the general manager of Cloud Spaces.

This is the first co-working space inside a mall, which was purposely done to take advantage of Yas Mall's proximity to both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Private offices line the walls of the second floor, which features most of the workspaces available to book. And the space is filled with bright, earthy tones, offering plenty of natural light.

“Even before Covid-19, the plan was to give you that feeling of privacy yet feel like you’re included in the community, so that was the whole concept,” Smejkalova adds.

For those who only need certain services, Cloud Spaces can also provide that. Boardrooms come equipped with a 55-inch smart TV and camera, perfect for those who need space for a meeting or video conference. There's also a small photography studio, as well as a recording studio that comes equipped with tools to help photographers take and edit their own photos, or produce or edit audio files.

However, offices and cubicles aren't the only things on offer. There’s also an on-site cafe, as well as a small putting green for a quick game of mini-golf for those needing a break from work.

The restrooms also have washers and dryers available for members to use in case there’s an accidental coffee-spilled-down-shirt incident before an important meeting.

Currently, Cloud Space offers co-working or workspace memberships, with tiered memberships that grant different access to services.

The first tier under the co-working membership allows for access to the open lounge, as well as The Fog and The Cloud Deck areas, while the higher tiered Cloud Desk membership includes those benefits, plus a local telephone number, private storage space and 24/7 access to a dedicated Cloud desk.

Cloud Spaces has opened at Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National

Workspace memberships start at a higher price and have four tiers ranging from Cloud cubicles (Dh1,695 per month) all the way to premium suites (Dh9,500 month). More importantly, all tiers come with a trade license as well as 24/7 access to the space.

“We wanted to create something that makes you feel comfortable when you come to work, and actually be productive. It gives you that kind of ease," says Smejkalova. "You get your work done and then you can go out and do other stuff."

Private workstations or offices start at Dh60 per hour. Co-working membership starts at Dh495 per month; workspace options start from Dh1,695 per month. More information is available at www.cloudspaces.ae