Templo is a coworking space in the heart of Rio de Janeiro which builds an entrepreneurial community to share knowledge, tools and most importantly to create networks that help entrepreneurs to realize their projects and dreams. They are looking for new, open ways of working and explore non-formal methods of learning. Templo's workshops resemble more of an adventure journey than a traditional training experience. |
Templo has been founded in December 2012 by three entrepreneurs - Herman Bessler, student of Business and Economics, a non-formal educator who gained experience in Israel, 23 years old at the time, Afonso Soares and Iana Baremboim, with ultimate aim to build a new world together with other change-making entrepreneurs. The first cowork has been opened in Gavea, followed by a splendid space in Botafogo.
Coworking represents the main part of Templo's revenues and is split between members with fixed working space and those who ‘float’ from desk to desk. Each location has its community manager who is taking care of the flow and networking between individual entrepreneurs and organisations.
Templo is more than a cowork though. Its members have a lunch together, do yoga together and each Thursday enjoy a happy hour with jam session and beer.
Educational methodologies
When it comes to education, Templo builds upon philosophy 'learning to share and sharing to learn'. Some learning experiences are more frontal, some are more experimental, depending on the topic and audience. Topics vary from design thinking, branding and marketing, to for example a course called “Alice in the Templo-land” which is questioning our perceptions of environment, ourselves and introduces new models of education.
Templo also organises a Journey to Silicon Valley, which offers visits to local companies, networking and various lectures and debates.
Recently, Lab - a maker space with 3D printer - has been opened.
Personal Experience
During my three weeks stay in Rio in November last year, I visited Templo number of times. I’ve spoken to Herman who told me his story and explained how the place works. I've met a team preparing educational programs, including Gabriel Fajngold who invited me to the final workshop of the 6 weeks long program, which posed philosophical questions to explore our lives from different perspectives and to examine concepts of beauty, food or time.
The workshops took place in various places in Rio, participants were for example sent to Lagoa, got paddle boats and list of questions to contemplate upon. Later they met for a picnic and a group discussion.
The workshop I participated in was lead by Vitor Pordeus (here is link to one of his workshops in the United Kingdom) and explored Madness. It started with an emotional video showing Hamlet performed by mentally ill patients, together with their personal reflections. Vitor then posed questions like where are the borders between madness and sanity or whether we've ever experienced falling through our own personal Rabbit hole. At the end of the workshop participants reflected in a circle on the whole 6 week experience, concluding that it impacted every one of them, making them more curious and courageous. The evening was closed in Brazilian style - drinks, guitar and songs such as Bossa Nostra, which perhaps symbolically references to Milan Kundera's book 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being'.
Address: Rua Duque Estrada, 41, Gávea - Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Tel: +55 21 3988 3544 Website: http://www.templo.cc/ | Author: Veronika Klimesova Date: January 2015 Photography by Edu On Tour |