Ondas: An International Place of Gathering

Café? Co-working space? Airbnb house?

The #1 question I’ve heard about this subtle looking house is “what is this place?”

Actually, it’s all of the above with more on the way.

There really is no other way to define this charming and eclectic place other than the way the owner, Kit Glover, suggests “This is an international place of gathering.”

Located in the up-and-coming Floresta area (two blocks away from Parque Floresta), Ondas seems to have peeked at some of the top ways foreigners (and locals) are doing business in Medellín and developed a space where it all fits harmoniously.

Why Floresta?

According to Glover, when he began working on the project, the neighborhood was all potential and little action. In a leap of faith, he built from scratch what I believe to be one of the most interesting projects in the city.

Floresta is part of Comuna 12 (La America) which has some of the best conditions for living and creating business. 42% of its inhabitants are between the ages of 15 and 40 and the average social stratum for the thirteen neighborhoods that make it up is 4.

Not only have there been more apartment buildings going up in Floresta, inviting all types of citizens to populate the area, but more and more foreigners are calling Comuna 12 their home. Factors include varied inhabitants, the entertaining park and practical transportation options, among others.

What Ondas Has to Offer

To anyone who has used the available coworking spaces in the city such as 9010 or Epicentro, this place might come as a bit of a shock.

You won’t find cubicles, desks, or office-inspired decor, which is precisely what makes it so refreshing. That and the fact that at a basic rate of about 250,000 pesos per month, it is one of the most affordable in the city (if not the most).

To those who would rather work at a coffee shop, Ondas covers you by having one on the main floor, which is on its way to being open to the general public as well as the Ondas crowd.

The space is available for events, and has a weekly international movie night and a language exchange barbecue once a week, at which I was surprised to find a truly international group -both foreigners and colombians.

The rooms in the house have also been adapted for those looking for a place to rent a month or longer. You can find one on Airbnb.

The Good, the Bad, and the Undeniable…

It’s a beautiful place, too big to be truly captured in photos. It’s comfortable, it’s welcoming. However…

Ondas still has a large to-do list to go through before it runs smoothly.

And it’s no wonder, Glover has singlehandedly built on an idea for months.

It isn’t entirely shocking that for now it looks a bit like a one-man show.

His trip advisor reviews, his guests, and his friends all can say a lot for what the place has turned out to be and the dedication behind it. The minute you walk in, it’s diaphanous.

The Future of Ondas

Glover has already begun delegating, subletting the café to good hands who will take one more task off his.

When a few more tasks are checked off the list, a fitness space will be fashioned out of leftover capacity in the house-that’s right- there is just that much space.

It looks like that type of action will be exactly what will turn his one-man show into a well-teamed hit.

I urge readers to see the place, add an international movie to your week, and be a part of this growing project built from the heart.

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Photos courtesy of Ondas.