Loom Club is a new place that every neighborhood in the world should have

I often find myself thinking about how much I miss having a place in Zagreb (specifically in the western part where I live) that combines a workspace, a small café where you can grab a bite if you feel like it, stay later for yoga, enjoy a cup of tea, check out an exhibition, or even organize one yourself. At a time when having an office is no longer a necessity and work mostly takes place online (at least in my field), we are all searching for that place we can call our own and are ready to spend hours of our day there.

In a world where digital connectivity is greater than ever, people are increasingly craving social contact, says Han-Rui Chiew, who, believe it or not, missed having such a space in London too. Han has called Islington (a neighborhood in North London) home for many years. Describing it as a relaxed, green, and urban area, he says it’s a perfect neighborhood, yet something has been missing all these years. What he missed was community and a sense of belonging, he tells me, and I immediately think he’s right. In a digital world where we’ve never been closer and more connected, we still feel isolated, and Han agrees with me. That’s why he and his business partner, Andres Mendoza, decided to establish the Loom Club. We wanted to redefine how people come together. Our idea was to create a space shaped by the people from the neighborhood—a social club that lives, grows, and changes because of the people who spend time here, socialize, work, meet, and create new projects and encounters together.

Photo: Loom Club

Loom Club opened its doors this June, offering its members elegantly designed workspaces, top-tier fitness facilities, and an engaging social program—making it the perfect place for those looking to balance work, wellness, and community involvement. From fitness classes to social events like culinary pop-ups, gallery openings, and art workshops, Loom Club regularly serves as a gathering place that provides a wide range of opportunities for socializing, networking, and relaxing in the neighborhood where you live. I immediately thought that this is exactly what I had in mind—a familiar spot in your neighborhood where you’re happy to go to send emails, have a coffee, meet someone familiar or make new connections, which can always spark new business ideas. Han agrees with me and goes on to explain that the name is a blend of living room, emphasizing that it is not just a coworking space but a social center dedicated to the community, a place where people should feel as comfortable as they would in their own living room. From our online conversation, I get the impression of how genuinely passionate Han is about this project and his desire to create positive changes, starting in his own environment. You have to start by acting in your micro-environment and gradually expand your positive impact, he says.

Photo: Loom Club

The newly designed spaces, created in collaboration with the founders by the young architecture and design studio Kasawoo, are located in the Ivories building, which once served as a piano factory. The interior features elegant, soothing white and pink tones, and the entrance guides visitors through two club levels. One level includes a lounge with a spacious kitchen, common areas, private booths, and workspaces set in quieter sections. Below, there is a studio, a multipurpose space for yoga, dance, workshops, and various events, complete with adjacent changing rooms and showers. The design studio focused on preserving the building’s industrial character while incorporating modern elements to create a comfortable and functional space, the design team explains. Their strategic approach involved refurbishing up to a height of 2.3 meters with new aesthetic elements while leaving everything above, including the ceiling, untouched. This method not only reduced material and labor costs but also revealed a range of marks and imperfections. The designers refer to these as ghosts of the past, seeing them as visible reminders of the building’s transformation over time.

Photo: Ed Reeve

Kasawoo utilized a curtain system to divide the space into zones, enabling easy reconfiguration based on members needs. The curtains, featuring varying degrees of transparency, offer both visual and sound insulation while adding a distinct aesthetic element to the design. Each zone is outfitted with custom-designed furniture, providing a range of seating options so that members can select according to their individual preferences.

Photo: Ed Reeve

Since one of the core values of the Loom Club is to connect members in new and unexpected ways, the front of the main lounge serves as a vibrant social hub featuring a large oval kitchen island for informal gatherings. The rear of the lounge is intentionally designed for quieter activities, incorporating a series of phone booths lined with sustainable, soundproof cork panels, as well as restrooms featuring dark green tiles and walls made of marine plywood.

Photo: Ed Reeve

The Loom Club encourages its members to engage with the local community through thoughtfully curated events, wellness classes, and personalized gatherings via space rentals. The club’s unique offerings allow members to work remotely, train, relax with a drink—all within the same space. Starting on October 21st, they also introduced Loom’s Kitchen, a series of chef residencies designed to offer intimate dining experiences that celebrate creativity, flavors, and innovation. And there is even more in store, things will get only better from here. We plan to expand into other neighborhoods if this concept proves successful, which we believe it will, as the response to membership and local interest in this type of project has already been excellent.