One team, one community - the ethos behind The Co-Op's new office

Level 1, 15 Foster St, Surry Hills

The Co-op is a familiar name at Australian universities, as the largest official supplier of textbooks and educational resources for students.

Following the demise of a number of bookshops worldwide, The Co-op made the decision to rebrand and diversify to continue to thrive in a rapidly changing market. This sparked their ambition to relocate their head office to the dynamic Surry Hills area.

As a member-owned retailer founded by a group of University students, the client wanted their ethos of being one team to be reflected in the fitout.

The new Foster Street location was the perfect fit for The Co-op. Sheldon designed an open, collaborative and simple space that pays homage to the heritage elements of the building, particularly the beams, columns and services.

It is flexible and adaptable, with a number of fixed workstations and a myriad of work options, including hot desks, banquet seating, AV booths and a scrum room.

The seemingly random location of the workstations is anything but – the arrangement allows for more seating to be added as required without looking out of place. Whiteboard paint throughout encourages team brainstorming.

The Co-op’s positive culture and business values are clearly reflected in the new office, and the design reflects the company’s progressive nature and willingness to adapt to changing times.