En Masse Architecture and Design Crafts a Community-First Workspace at Fellowshop

En Masse Architecture and Design set out to create more than a co-working space—they designed a shared foundation for Chicago’s independent creative community.

Overview

Fellowshop represents a rare opportunity for En Masse Architecture and Design to design a space that not only serves a client but also uplifts an entire creative community. Located in Chicago’s Kinzie Industrial Corridor, the project was conceived as a co-working environment for small design studios and independent professionals. The concept originated from a former client’s vision to transform a vacant bow truss building—an expansive structure characterized by high ceilings and generous natural light—into a collaborative hub that embodies the spirit of creativity, connection, and shared growth.

Rooted in the industrial character of the original building, Fellowshop celebrates adaptive reuse while reimagining what a workspace can be. It serves as both a resource and a gathering place for designers, offering access to amenities typically reserved for larger firms. From the earliest planning stages, the goal was to create a highly flexible, human-centered environment that would evolve alongside its users and foster a sense of community among small business owners, freelancers, and design practitioners.

Collaborating with Studio Code and Continua Interiors, the En Masse team curated a design that integrates a variety of work settings—from communal tables to private offices and hotel-style desks—ensuring inclusivity for different work styles. A pastel palette softens the industrial bones of the space, while light itself becomes an architectural feature, filtering through ridge skylights and animating the open plan. The result is a workspace that functions as a living, breathing environment—one that nurtures collaboration and creativity at every turn.

Project Details & Challenges

Designing Fellowshop meant addressing both spatial and social challenges—how to create a flexible, affordable, and inspiring workspace for independent design professionals within an existing industrial shell. The owner’s attraction to the vacant bow truss building provided an architectural foundation rich with potential: exposed brick, open spans, and natural light. However, the design challenge lay in transforming that raw character into a warm, human-centered environment without erasing its history.

A key part of the process involved understanding how diverse users—ranging from solo practitioners to small design studios—would occupy and share the space. The En Masse team approached flexibility as the guiding principle, integrating a range of desking solutions to accommodate shifting needs. Communal tables support collaboration, while private offices along Damen Avenue provide focus and access to natural light. Hotel-style desking areas allow less frequent users to integrate seamlessly into the community.

Collaboration played a vital role in overcoming design challenges. Partnering with Continua Interiors and exploring MillerKnoll’s product offerings, the team identified furnishings that supported both ergonomic comfort and long-term adaptability. These solutions balanced form and function, ensuring that each element contributed to the flexibility and flow of the space.

Spatial definition without enclosure became another major consideration. To preserve openness while creating intimacy, En Masse introduced kitchen millwork volumes that subtly divide the floor plate into zones. These “rooms within a room” foster smaller group interactions while maintaining a visual and social connection across the space.

Materiality and light were equally important. The palette—sage green, sky blue, and rosy pink—was chosen to soften the industrial envelope and highlight the texture of Chicago common brick. The ridge skylight became a focal element, casting natural light into the communal core and encouraging organic gathering throughout the day.

Through iterative collaboration and sensitivity to the existing architecture, Fellowshop evolved into a workplace that transcends traditional co-working models. It’s designed not just for productivity, but for connection—a space where creativity thrives and design professionals feel a sense of belonging.

Key Products 

Herman Miller: OE1 Workspace solutions: 

Herman Miller: Eames Soft Pad Management Chair

Muuto: In Situ U Shaped Sofa

Knoll: Saarinen Medium Oval Table

Muuto: Five Pouf Large

Tech Solutions

Doorbird Video Door Bell and Fob system

Overall Project Results

Fellowshop has emerged as more than a shared office—it’s a creative ecosystem that demonstrates how design can foster equity and connection. By offering small studios and freelancers access to amenities typically reserved for large corporations, the project levels the playing field and builds community across disciplines.

Since opening, the space has become a magnet for collaboration. Tenants report feeling part of a larger design dialogue—one fueled by the spontaneous interactions encouraged by the communal kitchen, flexible seating zones, and the fluid movement between indoor and outdoor spaces. The “watering hole” kitchen island, in particular, has proven to be a central point of energy, drawing people together throughout the day.

The design’s balance of openness and intimacy enables a variety of uses—from focused work to casual networking events. Large sliding doors connect the main workspace to the outdoor patio, reinforcing the connection to nature and enhancing wellbeing through light and air.

One of the project’s most impactful outcomes is its role in shaping how small creative businesses perceive workspace design. Fellowshop challenges the notion that high-quality environments are a luxury reserved for large firms, demonstrating instead that intentional design can democratize access to comfort and inspiration.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with members noting how the color palette, light quality, and flexibility contribute to a sense of calm and creativity. The result is a workplace that doesn’t just function—it feels alive. As the boundaries between work and life continue to blur, Fellowshop offers a model for future co-working environments that are inclusive, adaptable, and deeply human.

Main Contributors:

Meet the Design Team

Ross Renjilian: Senior Architect 

Yesha Mody: Designer

Mike Shively: Principal

Lucas Goldbach: Principal

Mollie Code: Owner / Architect

Photography

Jeffrey Johnson