Example gave the design team at Acme sandstone walls and concrete floors drenched in natural light to play with. The result is one of Sydney’s sleekest co-working spaces.
There’s a feeling around Example House that you can’t quite ignore. The new 350-square metre co-working space in Rushcutters Bay is housed in an old smash-repair shop, though there are only minor details to remind you of that. Sandstone walls have been left largely untouched, concrete floors have been polished and the soft lighting and furnishings are a far cry from the chaos of a mechanic’s garage.
Example is a creative agency that services clients in the food and beverage, travel, entertainment and lifestyle industries. Often these industries don’t have office spaces to operate in – that’s where director Rebecca Gibbs says the company saw an opportunity. “While we were growing our agency over the past few years, we could see that many friends in our industries were missing out on opportunities by not having a creative home to work in.”
The space was designed by Acme, the firm behind some of Sydney’s best bar and restaurant spaces, including The Grounds of Alexandria, Archie Rose and Fred’s.
Down lights are used sparingly throughout the venue, lighting only what’s absolutely necessary to get your work done. This makes the space feel more like a bedroom in a Bond villain’s mansion than an office, and the lighting is generally set at a similar level to a restaurant – which makes sense, given the space is designed to cater to hospitality professionals.
The building isn’t exclusively open to those it was designed for. Example co-director Andy El-Bayeh encourages people from all industries to use the facility. “It doesn’t matter if you’re running an established business, if you work with beers, bars or boutique brands,” he says. “If you’ve got ideas, we’ve got desks.”
Starting at $40 a day, membership options include hot-desk passes, monthly memberships or permanent desks. Visitors can also book meeting rooms, lounge areas or the entire venue for events, and an on-site bar and kitchen host regular tastings and events on Friday afternoons.
Photography: Supplied
