Coworking in a Playground: Wellbeing Effects of Playful Design

This study examines whether intentionally playful design in university coworking spaces shapes student behavior, perceived playfulness, and wellbeing. The authors compare a playful coworking space, designed by a game studies team to invite games, toys, artistic expression, socializing, and rest, against a traditionally designed space of similar size and usage located less than two minutes away at a mid-sized Finnish university. The work is framed as a work-in-progress, motivated by the rapid expansion of coworking spaces into universities and by concerns about student stress and social isolation, particularly after COVID-19.

Data were collected over a two-week period across ten pre-established observation times, using interval-coded behavioral observations alongside surveys from 46 respondents in each space. Behaviors were grouped into five categories through bottom-up thematic analysis, and proportion tests indicated that students in the playful space were significantly more likely to report play, relaxation, and social activity and less likely to report work, though work remained the most common activity in both spaces. Self-reported playfulness was significantly higher in the playful space, which also showed higher positive emotions and evaluative happiness, while the traditional space scored higher on meaning and accomplishment. Across combined data, perceived playfulness correlated positively with positive emotions, engagement, and evaluative happiness.

The authors conclude that playful design affects play behavior, perceived playfulness, and certain dimensions of wellbeing, while also reducing students' perceived work engagement and sense of accomplishment in the space. The study's scope is limited to a single university, a two-week window, and a modest sample, and the authors position the findings as exploratory, identifying a need for further research into which forms of wellbeing playfulness can support.