This newly opened co-working space in Melbourne provides the perfect setting for social enterprises to make an impact with their work.
A landmark co-working space supporting social organisations – Our Community House – has recently opened its doors in North Melbourne. Interior architecture firm Studio Tate has transformed the former National Union of Workers headquarters into a thriving workspace for 60 employees. An additional 180 co-working desks are available by application for not-for-profit companies, government, philanthropic, corporate grantmakers and other enlightened businesses.
Within each of the four co-working zones in the building, there is a generous mix of private offices, open plan workstations and breakout settings, suggesting at the possibility of customising spaces depending on the tenant’s requirements.“Transformation was the central theme of our design narrative,” says Studio Tate principal interior designer Alex Hopkins. “We sought to create a space that provided a framework for the not-for-profit sector to evolve and grow, and drew inspiration from the transformative nature of art, colour, light and nature.”
“With limited resources, not-for-profits and social start-ups often work in less than desirable conditions, so the ‘house’ was an opportunity to demonstrate how intelligent design can positively impact communication, productivity and wellbeing in this sector,” adds Hopkins.
Our Community House is in many ways also the workplace of the future, incorporating amenities like parent and milk-expressing rooms, gender-neutral bathrooms, solar heating and cooling efficiencies, as well as waste management systems. The workspace also offers ergonomic sit-stand desks supporting a wide variety of tasks.
Denis Moriarty, Our Community Group founder and managing director, says, “By bringing likeminded individuals together and using design to encourage collaboration, information sharing can happen over the proverbial water cooler.”
With intelligent planning and by uniting two buildings, there is increased access to natural lighting. The efficiency of the workspace is elevated with strategically located utility and printing stations, storage lockers, end-of-trip facilities along with tea and coffee stations.
The design pays attention to employee wellbeing as well. The extensive use of indoor plants fosters biophilia creating a heightened connection with nature and the outdoors. What’s more, generous breakout spaces, communal areas, kitchen and dining spaces sit in tandem with informal meeting areas peppered throughout the work floor. The idea: encouraging impromptu conversation and collaboration.
There is a visible emphasis on raw materials and natural forms. A stunning highlight of this co-working space is Moriarty’s comprehensive art collection celebrating the exceptional natural beauty of the space.
The brutal concrete columns of the building have been softened by using colour blocks that also work to define zones. In another area, local street artist David Lee Pereira’s expansive mural makes an unforgettable impression.
Our Community House is a contemporary co-working space that does well to support community, helping social organisations put their best foot forward.
Read more stories on cutting-edge co-working spaces. And join our mailing list for weekly design inspo.
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Art, design, architecture and hospitality all combine perfectly at The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne by BAR Studio and Cottee Parker.
Beau Fulwood and Alison Peach on returning to a low-tech, first-principles concept of design as a strategy to combat climate change.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Swiss home appliance designer and manufacturer V-ZUG’s first Sydney studio is a unified expression of the brand’s boutique, sustainable and design-led identity.
As one of the many entries to The Social Space category at the 2024 INDE.Awards, this community centre is something out of the ordinary through its architectural design, that also provides a place for community and connection for many.
Overcoming pandemic hurdles to redefine guest experiences amidst Sydney’s bustling entertainment precinct, The Darling has undergone a two-year restoration that melds Art Deco interiors with the necessities of hotel living.