Mexico City | Publico

Included in the Remote Year program is an office space for the cohort to focus on their work. Meaning, most people on this adventure are employed with the understanding that a task can be accomplished irrespective of their physical location. This month we are at Publico.

Publico has an interesting energy: minimalist industrial working space. The rigid atmosphere seems to contrast the frayed foliage sprawling the city around us. Cold concrete rooms are only interrupted with iron and wood décor. It’s practical. Given the heat of the city, the concrete is a great insulator for cool air. Simple furnishings allow the users of the space to focus. Tasteful placement of plant life allows for an air of peace and something to look at when seeking a moment of mental relief.

There is a rooftop space on the 4th and 5th floors. The tiles are stained bright yellow and lime green. Overgrown plants curl into the corners and provide strategic shadow spaces for more free spirited workers. In the distance, el Castillo de Chapultepec (the Chapultepec Castle) rises from the vegetation of Bosque de Chapultepec. Funny how a few feet of space means exiting a Restoration Hardware magazine and entering a kaleidoscope of yellow and green.

Tea and coffee is included as a part of the service. However, if you’re looking for something more substantial, lunch in the immediate vicinity caters to all walks of life. Los Loosers, a vegan restaurant (that delivers BTW!), is around the corner. A strip of taquerias and mom-and-pop stands line the street if you took a right instead of a left. Not a 10 minute walk and you’ll be in Bosque de Chapultepec, where a slew of street vendors are ready to cater for you. You’ll want for nothing here.

Being in this space begs the question to those with a cubical whether the quality of your work (and potentially your quality of life) would be better if you had freedom outside of a brick and mortar company. I muse about remote work more thoroughly here, as the research behind it suggests some interesting conclusions. Though for now, it seems appropriate to sip the sunshine and settle in with a cup of tea.