The Commons Wellington Street by Flack Studio

The newest site for a high-end co-working community, The Commons Wellington Street complements the vibe of the formerly industrial, now hip inner-Melbourne suburb of Collingwood on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation.

Just as stunning heritage warehouses nearby are transformed into spaces for luxury fashion brands, cutting-edge creative studios and enviable townhouses, so too has Flack Studio crafted a stunning 3,700-square-metre workspace within the Wardle-designed six-Green-Star-rated office building on the city end of Wellington Street.

“When it comes to creative hubs in Melbourne, Collingwood has a strong charm – not just for creatives and entrepreneurs but also for the increasing number of larger businesses that are shifting their operations to the city fringe.”

The Commons has come full circle since the business started in Gibbs Street eight years ago, returning to Collingwood having proved the model’s success in nine other locations across Melbourne and Sydney. “Home to our first The Commons workspace, Collingwood is definitely a place we hold close to our hearts,” says co-founder and managing director Cliff Ho. “When it comes to creative hubs in Melbourne, Collingwood has a strong charm – not just for creatives and entrepreneurs but also for the increasing number of larger businesses that are shifting their operations to the city fringe.” The location is ideal, peacefully distant from the bustle of Smith Street, but not too far to walk to enjoy some of Melbourne’s best eating and drinking spots.

The shared workplace hub encompasses five floors within 54 Wellington, designed by Wardle, on the site of a telephone exchange that has been operational since the 1920s. The exterior design has maintained its heritage connection, with bricks in bronze, red and umber tones, all echoing the utilitarian motif of surrounding buildings. Flack Studio captured the artistic culture of Collingwood internally: spaces are open and light-filled, the furnishings are inviting and indoor plants abound. Flack Studio has employed warm oranges, reds and burgundies, harking back to the industrial past while conveying a sense of class and luxury.

Flack Studio captured the artistic culture of Collingwood internally: spaces are open and light-filled, the furnishings are inviting and indoor plants abound.

Cliff is thrilled with Flack Studio’s work. “It’s fantastic to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Flack Studio, one of the leading design studios in the world right now, to deliver a shared workspace custom-built with this audience in mind. Located just up the road in Fitzroy, Flack Studio knows this area well and has delivered a really locally minded design.”

The Commons Wellington Street can accommodate 570 members across its five floors, with a mix of shared desks, private offices, open collaborative spaces and meeting rooms. To cultivate a community of like-minded, values-aligned and purpose-driven organisations, many of the occupants are Certified B Corporations, including leading brands such as Volvo and Who Gives a Crap. The design resists formality, evoking a sense of warmth and calm and using soft materiality to give people the feeling of being at home.

The design resists formality, evoking a sense of warmth and calm and using soft materiality to give people the feeling of being at home.

Further resisting any sense that this might be a workplace, The Commons injected a generous selection of distractions such as a curated library, movie theatre, karaoke room, wellness studio, rooftop garden and a fully functional photographic studio. After a busy day of films and karaoke, staff can retire to the private roof garden, landscaped by Openwork and Robyn Barlow, which provides a lush green oasis in inner-city Melbourne.

Staying true to The Commons model, the workspaces are open and interactive, with a generous selection of options at a time when the paradigm is shifting away from dreary minimalist workspaces to lively, colourful spaces to suit any style of work. Flack Studio’s design cultivates a relaxing atmosphere while maintaining the high-end aesthetic and luxury materiality that people have come to expect from The Commons.

Architecture by Wardle. Interior architecture and design by Flack Studio. Landscape by Florian Wild.