Coworking provider The Great Room by Industrious has unveiled its second Sydney location, opening a flagship workplace within the One O’Connell Street tower. Spanning Levels 14 and 15 of the WELL-certified building, the new space signals the brand’s continued confidence in Australia’s flex-work market and reinforces a broader shift toward hospitality-driven, design-led workplaces in the CBD.

The opening follows CBRE’s acquisition of Industrious in early 2025 and builds on the strong performance of The Great Room’s first Australian location at 85 Castlereagh Street, which has reportedly reached high levels of occupancy. Together, the two sites position Sydney as a key node in the brand’s Asia-Pacific growth strategy, alongside established locations in Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok.

Occupying 2,356-square-metres and offering sweeping views across Sydney Harbour, the One O’Connell Street location places members between Circular Quay and Martin Place, embedding the workspace within the city’s commercial and cultural core. According to Derek Hung, General Manager of The Great Room One O’Connell, the new flagship is designed to serve a diverse professional community seeking more than conventional office infrastructure.

“Offering an elevated design, hospitality and community for businesses seeking more than just an office,” Hung says, the space has been shaped to support members across finance, technology, recruitment and professional services.

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Designed by M Moser Associates, the interiors balance warmth and restraint, drawing on Sydney’s natural palette and architectural heritage. Earthy tones, gentle curves and refined bronze detailing sit alongside tactile materials, creating a setting that feels closer to a boutique hotel than a traditional workplace. Brass hexagonal lattice panels between the stairwell and conservatory introduce a subtle architectural rhythm, while an internal stair connects the two floors and encourages movement and interaction.

“This space was conceived as a journey: a tactile, light-filled canvas where each detail invites discovery,” says Melissa Noy, Associate and Design Strategist at M Moser Associates. “Balancing the rhythm of working life with the elegance of a boutique hotel, we focused on timeless design that reflects the spirit of Sydney and nurtures both productivity and connection.”

Communal spaces anchor the experience. At the heart of the Drawing Room, a sculptural marble breakfast bar becomes a daily meeting point for informal conversation over barista-made coffee. Nearby lounges are layered with plush velvet and bouclé seating, terracotta-toned carpets and sandstone-inspired hues. Elsewhere, curved twilight-blue leather banquettes define a conservatory-style alcove for collaborative work, while the Stateroom boardroom introduces a more dramatic note through bespoke lighting suspended on leather straps.

The workplace caters to a wide range of users, from hot-desk members to enterprise teams. Customised private suites accommodate groups of between three and 100 people, including four self-contained Enterprise Suites designed for larger teams. Accessibility has also been embedded throughout, with hearing-friendly configurations, ergonomic furnishings and barrier-free circulation supporting inclusive work environments.

Beyond spatial design, The Great Room continues to emphasise experience and ritual. Weekly breakfasts, hotel-inspired refresh moments and regular networking events are intended to foster connection and reinforce a sense of belonging among members.

For building owner Lendlease, the arrival of The Great Room adds another layer of amenity to One O’Connell Street. Karin Ragel, Head of Asset Management at Lendlease Investment Management, notes that the hospitality-led offering complements the tower’s premium positioning and reflects an ongoing focus on high-quality workplace environments.

As organisations continue to reassess how, where and why people come together to work, The Great Room’s Sydney flagship offers a clear signal of where premium coworking is headed: less transient, more grounded and increasingly shaped by design, hospitality and long-term connection to place.

M Moser Associates
mmoser.com