Tech Worker Quarantined at Home Builds Co-Working Space in Second Life

"I built an office for those of us working from home during the pandemic," Annabelle Chimpton recently announced on Reddit, "complete with music, coffee, and a TV for breaks." Replete with a fire pit, garden, and koi pond, it's very much the kind of cool and casual co-working space that tech workers in Santa Monica and other hubs are missing nowadays -- except that this one only exists in Second Life: CliChimptonck here to teleport.

Working from home herself, Annabelle  wanted a place that recaptured her pre-pandemic office environment. "I think the big thing I've missed is the random moments of 'watercooler' talk throughout the day so hopefully this can help replicate that," as she explains.

Unveiled just a few days ago, people also working from home have been showing up to work in her virtual space from all over, she tells me:

"From everyone I've met so far, it tends to be mostly tech workers who have all had to go remote at the beginning of the pandemic," Annabelle tells me. "I think most are from the USA, but at least one other person is European. It's been really awesome meeting everyone! Truly it almost feels like an office at times."

Second Life isn't an ideal co-working space for everyone, of course, but if you're already familiar with the interface and have a powerful enough computer so that you can multitask between it and your other work programs, it could be a lovely respite from your home office. 

Via /SecondLife on Reddit, photo via Ms. Chimpton.

Comments

[Luther Weymann]

Fantastic work, Annabelle! I wish more SL’ers would do this because your space represents one of the founding principles for SL.

[Kaylee West]

Hear! Hear! Fantastic idea Annabelle! I've been doing RL work in SL for years, but mostly it's just me on my own. I couldn't tell you how many times I've gone looking for places in SL where I could quietly work away at my RL tasks while others around me are working away at theirs, but up till now I haven't found anywhere. Lately I've been working out of a virtual office I set up in our university's Virtual Prato region. I would love to have others working in the other offices there, but I guess it's not for everyone. Can't wait to visit your co-working area 😊

[Orca Flotta]

There once was a region, called The Last Forever.

https://orcaflotta.blog/2017/12/07/the-last-forever/

It was in parts built after the RL Texas Township of Marfa and had many quirky builds. One of them was a place for creators and cooperations. Reminded me of an open co-working space.