Vancouver-based developer Alabaster Homes is bringing its amenity-rich coworking model to downtown Calgary, aiming to provide flexible, experience-driven office space amid uncertain economic times. The new Pavilion Cowork location, which recently opened, occupies an entire floor near the Calgary courthouse and is being billed as the company’s largest and most thoughtfully designed facility to date.
The move underscores a shift in workplace strategy for many Canadian businesses, as demand grows for flexible, collaborative environments that foster community and networking rather than traditional office layouts. Herman Kwee, president of Alabaster Homes, said the Calgary expansion demonstrates how strategic amenities and flexible leases can help companies adapt to economic and operational uncertainty.
A Workspace Built for Collaboration
Alabaster Homes, originally a residential multifamily developer, launched Pavilion Cowork more than eight years ago to address both surplus space in its Vancouver offices and a desire to foster a collaborative environment for businesses. Rather than subleasing unused office square footage in a traditional model, the company created a shared workspace designed to facilitate networking, community, and operational support for member companies.
“The vision for our own space was to build a workplace where people enjoyed coming to every day, not somewhere they would just come in and sit behind a desk,” Kwee said. “We started thinking: instead of closing the doors, what if we opened them up and created one big space where people could do their best work together?”
Pavilion Cowork handles everything upfront for businesses, from IT setup to staff training and office build-outs, allowing tenants to focus on operations while avoiding significant capital expenditures. “It’s setup and us doing life together, walking alongside these businesses,” Kwee said.
Calgary Expansion Highlights Amenities
The new Calgary location emphasizes community-focused amenities that differentiate Pavilion from conventional office space. A large lounge will serve as a shared hub for member companies, complemented by regular events such as happy hours, fitness classes, and networking opportunities.
“What really makes Pavilion special is our approach to the way we’ve laid out and designed the space. It is not just office space or square footage. We lean heavily on experience for the members,” Kwee said. “It’s quite magical to see companies coexist, work and network among each other, and get to know each other.”
In addition to utilizing the location’s shared office spaces, members will benefit from high-speed secure internet, fitness facility and kitchen/lounge usage, private phone booth access, monthly event programming, and around the clock cleaning. Currently, the Pavilion team has brought on partners such as Caffe Levant, Better Day Meals, Coven Health Collective, Olia Macaron, Monogram Coffee, Sunday Flow, Sabi Mind, Field Kit Studio, and Hampton Inn by Hilton Calgary Downtown to provide members with exclusive access to discounts, offerings, and events.
“Our hospitality-forward approach means we focus on supplying members with everything they need for their work day,” said Clare Linton, Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Operations. “The team has been working hard to curate offerings from Calgary’s most beloved brands and businesses. As someone who spent many years in this city, I’m really excited by the partners they’ve brought on board.”
Pavilion Cowork currently operates three locations in Vancouver, with additional sites planned for Greater Vancouver in late 2026 and early 2027. Calgary is the fourth location, marking the company’s first expansion outside its home market.
Flexibility in Uncertain Times
Kwee said the coworking model has been particularly well-suited to navigating economic uncertainty, including the challenges posed by ongoing tariff disputes and broader geopolitical pressures. By providing flexible, month-to-month memberships rather than long-term leases, Pavilion allows businesses to scale their office footprint in line with evolving needs.
“Business owners may not know what tomorrow beholds, but they still need office space and a place for their teams to work,” Kwee said. “The agreements and contracts we have allow them to grow or right-size as needed. It has been a very cost-effective and seamless way for businesses to provide office space for themselves.”
The approach also offers financial advantages. Pavilion assumes the upfront cost of build-outs on its balance sheet, spreading the expense across multiple member companies. “One of the benefits we provide is taking all of that upfront capital expenditure on ourselves, putting it on our balance sheet and doing the build-out on behalf of companies, and instead charging a membership fee,” Kwee said.
Building Optimism Through Community
Despite starting the coworking business at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kwee said the concept has proven resilient. Remote work remains common, but employees and business owners continue to value in-person community, collaboration, and culture-building.
“People who have been working from home for so many years are hungry to be in the midst of good community,” Kwee said. “We see a lot of companies motivated to get people back and for that collaborative spirit and culture to come back within the company.”
He added that the Calgary expansion reflects both market opportunity and a commitment to cultivating spaces where businesses can thrive in uncertain times.
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