Zoku Launches Writer-in-Residence Project

PARIS, 4 NOVEMBER 2024: Zoku Paris is set to welcome its first “Writer-in-Residence” from November 8-10 as part of an innovative new project that delves deeper into the meaning of hybrid hospitality, and how it supports both a sense of belonging and productivity for today’s professionals.

The field-research inspired study primarily involves:

• Interviews with residents, coworkers, staff, and visitors.
• Observations on how shared spaces foster a balanced environment for living, working and socializing.
• Documentation on how community events contribute to well-being and shape the overall experience.

The project will also collaborate with Zoku’s community of international talent to better understand the guest experience, examining different definitions and perceptions of the word “community” within a hotel setting.

Insights gained from the three-day project will be leveraged by Zoku to spot emerging trends, explore new use cases, and elevate the guest experience, offering a fresh perspective on how hybrid spaces can enhance both work and life for today’s mobile professionals.

The group has commissioned Paris-based journalist Matthew Parsons, who has written extensively about the intersection of business travel and hospitality, as its first Writer-in-Residence. Matthew is a former editor at travel industry intelligence platform Skift, and previously editor at Business Travel News Europe.

“I’m excited to embark on this project with Zoku. The brand has positioned itself at the center of this hybrid hospitality movement, where guests live, work and socialize under one roof. But what does ‘hybrid hospitality’ actually look and feel like? I’m looking forward to hearing guests’ stories, to find out what today inspires and motivates remote workers, digital nomads, and traveling business professionals,” he says.

Zoku Paris opened in 2023 and is the group’s fourth location, following Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Vienna. The Paris hotel, located at 48 Avenue de la Porte de Clichy in the bustling 17th arrondissement, provides a community-centered environment that is both inspiring and supportive for work, relaxation, and social connection. As well as capturing daily life within the walls of the hotel, the Writer-in-Residence project will examine how the local culture of the 17th arrondissement adds a unique flavor to Zoku’s hybrid hospitality model.

“At Zoku, we’re always seeking new ways to understand how people connect, collaborate, and thrive in shared spaces. The Writer-in-Residence project allows us to gain authentic insights into the lived experience of hybrid hospitality,” says Hans Meyer, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Zoku. “By inviting a journalist into our world, we hope to deepen our knowledge of how Zoku’s guests find balance and productivity here and to explore new ways to create meaningful connections between our mobile professionals and the local community in the 17th arrondissement.”

The upcoming project is the latest in a series of research projects that have helped inform Zoku’s market-leading proposition, from initial research prior to the group’s founding to the recent publication of a whitepaper, The Future of Work Needs Human Connection.

Follow the research findings on Zoku’s website and across its social media channels.