In the Californian city of Mountain View - a metropolitan city par excellence within the Silicon Valley - the air you breathe smells of pure technology. Known internationally as the mecca of large IT corporations -Google, Microsoft, Linkedin, Adobe, Mozilla Foundation-, it not only houses buildings of dazzling architecture but also acts as an incubator of innovation from coworking spaces.

On one of the many avenues that shape the tech city stands a building of approximately 1,830 square meters, known under the particular name of Hacker Dojo. Half hacker, half dojo. A curious way to describe the roots of this site that welcomes hundreds of people who want to work as a team. 

The coworking DNA

In Japanese “dojo” means “place of awakening”, an accurate concept if we combine it with computing. What better place to open your creative gaze than in the cradle of computers? Just great.

Since its founding in 2009 - it was born as a project during a Hackathon - the cultural foundations of this great coworking space were clear. A large cement block that stores dozens of compartments like a CPU, ready to inspire new algorithms or new inventions, why not.

It's all about bringing together members, volunteers and guests who seek to engage the community through shared interests, open source projects and collaboration.

The concepts covered the walls with graffiti with tigers that transform into robots or with parallel universes full of networks and connections. As for the coworking rooms, the typical white boards with dozens of desktop computers ready to be turned on are available.

At the same time, there are places for each member or visitor to bring their personal laptop and can use it as they please during their stay. Hacker Dojo itself has spaces for all tastes: with sunlight and artificial light.

A bonus track

Now, you may wonder what is so special about this coworking space? Well, among the various amenities it offers we can name the existence of 2 creative laboratories. One called “Laser Room” and another “Electronics Laboratory”.

Both have tools that can cut, drill, chop and grind. They also allow the use of at least 2 3D printers for those who wish to translate their ideas into something totally concrete and physical.

Likewise, on one of its iconic walls you can see honor rolls with lists of recognized brands and people from the IT sphere who made financial contributions to finance the existence and maintenance of this “computer temple” of coworking.

More than a coworking room

Faithful to its relaxed and highly innovative style, this collaborative work space also gives its visitors and members, recreation rooms with soft armchairs, refrigerators with refreshments, libraries full of books on a wide range of topics, televisions and much more.

As a general rule, if a non-member finds a free seat in the main room, they can sit completely free of charge, while guests and members can sit in the main space, the event room and the classroom.

The Hacker Dojo coworking space seeks to encourage networking connections through the multiple divisions that the establishment has, leaving aside the concept of “taking over” the same place just for convenience. The idea is to constantly open up new ideas.

For this same reason Hacker Dojo maintains the policy of collaboration even in the spaces where sweet and salty snacks reign: the kitchen. Everything must be divided into 2, that is, thinking about food for two. Everything belongs to everyone. We are all one and one we are all.

Extras

In the special case that a member wishes to have a private office free of interference, there are specific memberships for this that include a desk and restricted access to the single space, so that the person can leave their belongings in the coworking space throughout the night.

In the same way, for those who need to hold thematic events or simply meetings, they can do so from their divisions specially designed to accommodate a large number of visitors: whiteboards for writing and scribbling, televisions, projectors and  Free Wi-Fi service during the exhibition day.

Telepresence at Hacker Dojo

Here's something to note: this coworking place provides a state-of-the-art service for those who need to be present, whether during a conference or work meeting, in a different way. For that, Hacker Dojo has at least 4 robots that bring attendees who are not physically there to “in-person.”

These are robots similar to the constitution of a skateboard, which show a screen at the highest end where the person's face is displayed. The device also offers the possibility that the “person” can move from one place to another with the help of a pair of wheels that facilitate movement throughout the room. Incredible, right?

All networks that operate in Hacker Dojo are supervised by the technical area, since in the event that strange behavior is displayed such as traffic of illegal and copyrighted content, an automatic cancellation of membership is carried out.

Merchandising by Hacker Dojo

This wonderful temple of computing leaves nothing left to chance, since in one sector of the building there is a counter full of T-shirts, mugs and glasses with endless models on the Dojo theme.

Seen this way, a coworking brand that seeks to promote and externalize the spirit of openness through textiles and ceramics is a brand that seeks permanence and connection with its clients in the smartest way possible. Creating a community that encourages technological innovation is the mission of this mythical cradle of hackers and lovers of the tech universe.