Coworking Spaces and Alienation

Abstract

This article investigates coworking spaces as ambivalent infrastructures within the landscape of digital capitalism. Through a qualitative case study of Fabbriche Binarie and Sugar Paper in Modena, Italy, it explores how these spaces mediate experiences of alienation, spatial disconnection, and social recognition. Drawing on theories of alienation (Rosa, 2013, 2019) and recognition (Honneth, 2014), the study identifies three interrelated forms of estrangement (temporal, spatial, and relational) amplified by remote work. While coworking is promoted as a flexible and inclusive alternative to traditional offices, the findings reveal underlying contradictions: symbolic over-coding, weak social ties, and selective inclusion. The paper argues that coworking hubs can either reproduce or resist forms of alienation depending on their governance and integration into the urban fabric. Ultimately, it calls for a rethinking of such spaces as civic infrastructures, capable of fostering democratic presence, spatial justice, and social resonance in an increasingly fragmented work environment.