all photos by Toshiyuki Yano
Right across the Kanda River from Akihabara Station is 12 Kanda, a new co-working space dedicated to supporting small businesses and startups. A visually eye-catching building, it features multiple stories with different forms and functions stacked on each floor.
Designed by Chikara Ohno of the architecture firm Sinato, 12 Kanda, which just opened earlier this year, is the 4th in a series of coworking spaces all designed around the same theme. And no, 12 is not the number of floors (this one only has 11) but instead refers to the number of shared services that all occupants can take advantage of. It’s one of the building’s key features aimed at bringing down the cost of running a business, and includes staffed reception, security, wifi connectivity and cleaning.
12 Kanda offers multiple configurations from teams of 5 to as large as 20, with the option to sub-lease your space. And if you’re still a team of 1, they have single desks as well. There is a community component too: once in, there’s a shared app where teams can exchange info, send around marketing surveys and even share meals together. If you’re interested, you can check out the website and see available listings.
