Breadcrumbs ![Inside The World’s First ‘Feminist’ Office](https://media.sheerluxe.com/MIq0rZP2nkSZBlvojZDNhXT_TYc=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Foffice-designed-women2.jpg) [Careers](/life/careers) / 02 May 2018 # Inside The World’s First ‘Feminist’ Office If you're creating a space for women, it makes sense for a woman to design it. That's what female members' club The Wing thought when they hired architect Alda Ly to dream up a series of co-working spaces across New York City. And the result? The most incredible offices we've ever laid eyes on... [ Save To My Favourites ](/user/login?destination=/markdownify/node/15944) ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/Infh3D8YE5IeNsNyObfxr_xnF70=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Foffice-spaces-square2.jpg) If you haven't yet heard of [The Wing](http://www.the-wing.com/), you will (they're launching in London soon). A members’ club where women of all backgrounds, ages and professions can join forces, their mission is to aid women’s professional, civic, social, and economic advancement through community: “We believe that the act of coming together as women creates new opportunities, ideas and conversations that will lead to greater mobility and prosperity for womankind,” Founders Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan state on the website. That's where Ly came in. A Harvard graduate and former employee of some of the world’s top architecture firms, the New Zealand-born, California-raised designer has directed all of The Wing’s projects – from their first ever Flatiron office in 2016 to the latest Washington DC Site, which opened this April. Speaking to the [*Atlantic*](https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/04/an-architect-for-the-feminist-moment/557516/), Ly revealed a big part of the process was brainstorming what the spaces should look like, as a women-only co-working and event space had never been done before. ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/U48K1QoYWNzimV3Xnhqb9OcBkaQ=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Fnew-office-space-wing.jpg) ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/1wUhxxeQcx8lrjWo6W-rDHPxsOI=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Foffice-space.jpg) ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/7kBF91rBLgjbyPvaWppc98X4KMA=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Fwing-office-space.jpg) Ly’s vision for The Wing is a world away from the man-cave environments of many modern start-ups. “There are other things that get them excited. Foosball tables, beanbags, beer pong”, she said of male-led businesses. “For us, it’s not about toys. We’re not trying to give you free food. We’re just trying to make you feel comfortable.” So what *does* a feminist office look like? The focus on comfort is key – from soft, skin-friendly materials and suitably-proportioned furniture, to ‘pumping stations’ for breastfeeding mothers and relaxed ‘beauty rooms’ in a separate area to the toilets. Ly believes a major part of making women feel comfortable is giving them room for choice: “It’s having areas for women to have privacy, or to work in big groups,” she explains, revealing there are a variety of different spaces built into the buildings, like tucked-away corners and open social hubs. ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/qg2paBgyN61BtxKTvlWpNHXAqR8=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Foffice-spaces-square.jpg) ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/Ouj15iS3ItIkwVjuphWLNctUE2Q=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Fnew-office-space-women1.jpg) ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/9bu3nlyyF5vHno1r5JC7u1hAYdk=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2Fnew-office-space-women2.jpg) Of course, there’s also the chic and feminine design touches that make the spaces so appealing – aesthetically-pleasing curves, floral arrangements, kitschy wallpaper and plenty of millennial pink. But, as Ly puts it, these are just the icing on the (very Instagrammable) cake. *The Wing will be launching its first UK office in London soon, keep an eye on [The-Wing.com](https://www.the-wing.com/) for updates. Find out more about the architect behind the project at [AldaLy.com](http://www.alda-ly.com/).* [ Sign in to comment with your SheerLuxe profile ](/user/login?destination=)Or continue to comment as a Guest below [View the discussion thread.](http://sheerluxe-dev.disqus.com/) *more from* Life [View All Life](/life) ![Your October Horoscope](https://media.sheerluxe.com/IGTSJiKeRURR_xP1iSiStsHhF_Q=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F10%2Fsl-site-assets-021026-horoscopes-hero-thumb.jpg) [Life](/life) / 02 October 2026 [## Your October Horoscope ](/life/your-october-horoscope-6) ![How To Use AI To Get Ahead ](https://media.sheerluxe.com/n2XUNDZBJ4saxCmnazqQXyZ8Eh4=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F09%2Fsl-site-assets-ai-chloe-watts-1.jpg) [The Business Edition](/the-business-edition)/ 30 September 2026 [## How To Use AI To Get Ahead ](/life/how-to-use-ai-to-get-ahead) ![50 ChatGPT Prompts That Could Streamline Your Week](https://media.sheerluxe.com/I0DoNCFCo6Som2sHgXlLEdgtafI=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F09%2Fsl-site-assets-300926-chat-gpt-promots-hero-thumb.gif) [The Business Edition](/the-business-edition)/ 30 September 2026 [## 50 ChatGPT Prompts That Could Streamline Your Week ](/life/50-chatgpt-prompts-that-could-streamline-your-week) ![What’s Really Going On In AI Right Now](https://media.sheerluxe.com/iXb2mf0_gzrS7Lr4aF6_XGaKXTc=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F09%2Fsl-site-assets-ai-experts.jpg) [The Business Edition](/the-business-edition)/ 30 September 2026 [## What’s Really Going On In AI Right Now ](/life/whats-really-going-on-in-ai-right-now) ![What’s New & Noteworthy In The AI World ](https://media.sheerluxe.com/MHHHVsF5WrMN0_qCO_sVbd1YBtE=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F09%2Fsl-hot-list-hero-thumb.jpg) [The Business Edition](/the-business-edition)/ 30 September 2026 [## What’s New & Noteworthy In The AI World ](/life/whats-new-noteworthy-in-the-ai-world) ![The AI Tools Women-In-The-Know Rely On ](https://media.sheerluxe.com/MCeqh6U9ojSSfDb2fm6qSmDZ_4c=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F09%2Fsl-site-assets-300926-x-ai-tools-stylish-women-use-more-to-come-as-people-send-answers-hero-thumb.jpg) [The Business Edition](/the-business-edition)/ 30 September 2026 [## The AI Tools Women-In-The-Know Rely On ](/life/the-ai-tools-women-in-the-know-rely-on) ![The Gold Edition Meets… Beverley Knight](https://media.sheerluxe.com/E_NvkBJNNJ0devPjRgFO-Ix7IrA=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F09%2Fsl-gold-210926-site-assets-in-conversation-with-beverley-knight-hero-thumb.jpg) [Life](/gold/life)/ 21 September 2026 [## The Gold Edition Meets… Beverley Knight ](/life/the-gold-edition-meets-beverley-knight) ![Your September Horoscope](https://media.sheerluxe.com/MnrlRdDvx-vNBuFLfCJDJQ7jEQQ=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F05%2Fhorocopes-hero-thumb_0.jpg) [Life](/life) / 01 September 2026 [## Your September Horoscope ](/life/your-september-horoscope-5) ![ 10 Minutes With… Susie Wolff, F1 Academy](https://media.sheerluxe.com/G-o_zFXJJSGwHn1lw1qjJ1RANGk=/200x267/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F06%2Fsl-site-asset-thumb-hero-050625-f1-2.jpg) [Careers](/life/careers) / 12 August 2026 [## 10 Minutes With… Susie Wolff, F1 Academy ](/life/careers/10-minutes-with-susie-wolff-f1-academy) Share This Story [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?display=popup&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com&u=https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Flife%2Fcareers%2Finside-the-worlds-first-feminist-office&t=Inside+The+World%E2%80%99s+First+%E2%80%98Feminist%E2%80%99+Office) [ Pinterest ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Flife%2Fcareers%2Finside-the-worlds-first-feminist-office&description=Inside+The+World%E2%80%99s+First+%E2%80%98Feminist%E2%80%99+Office&media=) [ E-mail ]() DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. 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