An office space evolution

The researchers found that, on average, people who work in third places will typically do so between two and three times each week. These workers will stay anywhere between 15 minutes and four hours – most of the time, they’ll go to a third place on their own.

The top three benefits to working in a third place were reported to be mental reset, community and social connection, and great food and coffee. When asked to what extent working from a third place positively contributes to their overall wellbeing, the average response was 86%. By extension, 98% of respondents said they’d continue to use a third place for work in the future.

Meeting market desires

Cromwell has a strong track record of adapting office spaces to meet tenants’ requirements. Our exceptional in-house property development, project management, and technical capabilities allow us to identify and deliver value for our tenants, our investors, and capital partners through innovative development and construction projects, whole- of-building refurbishments, and adaptive re-use and asset transformations, all of which incorporate market leading sustainability initiatives.

In response to our tenants’ changing needs – highlighted in the 2022 Tenant Engagement Survey – Cromwell rolled out the successful design and delivery of a new purpose- built wellbeing and third space at our 400 George Street building in Brisbane.

High ceilings and earthy floor tiles are complemented by polished timber entranceways and olive-green feature walls. Concertina (bifold) doors allow much of the area to be opened to the bustling city below.

The space is already being utilised by tenants as a break- out area; a space for meetings, yoga classes, and wellbeing classes. In this instance, Cromwell was able to repurpose a vacant and difficult floor space to provide an outcome that benefitted tenants, enhanced the building amenity, and increased marketability of the asset. Cromwell will apply the lessons learned through this process to upgrade works at our other assets.

Our experienced property managers continue to liaise with tenants regarding every workplace requirement, including lease disposal, lease negotiation, space planning, workplace design, change management, cost of construction, technology solutions or transitioning to net zero.

The office market latest

Vacancy rates in Australia’s capital cities have increased modestly over the last six months, driven by an uptick in new office supply, according to fresh data from the Property Council of Australia (PCA).

The July 2023 edition of the ‘Office Market Report’, which is released twice a year, showed overall CBD vacancy increased from 12.6 to 12.8% nationally³. Non-CBD areas saw an increase from 15.2 to 17.3%.

PCA projects that the supply of office space in CBD markets is expected to remain close to the historical average throughout 2023, with an anticipated increase above the average in the second half of 2024.

Encouragingly, the office market in Brisbane – where Cromwell owns a number of assets – is particularly robust, with tenant demand outpacing available supply, decreasing the vacancy rate from 12.9% to 11.6%.

“Notably, the results show Premium and A Grade stock remains in high demand, reinforcing businesses’ desire to provide attractive and enjoyable workplaces for their people,” Property Council Chief Executive Mike Zorbas said as part of the July Office Market Report launch.

“These organisations recognise that maintaining a physical office presence in our cities is vital for conducting business effectively. We know that face-to-face teamwork supports deeper team relationships and brings about positive outcomes for organisations, the economy, and society
at large.”

Continuing to improve our spaces

Attracting Government and blue-chip tenants on long-term leases continues to be a key focus for Cromwell. As with our George Street property, works have been undertaken at several other assets to retain existing building occupiers – and attract new tenants.

Cromwell has actively completed a number of property upgrades of this kind already in 2023, including the recent completion of several speculative fitouts.

Speculative fitouts are new office fitouts built by the landlord or building owner, designed to accommodate a broad range of new tenants. If building owners can show potential tenants a functional, modern space that requires no further work, it makes the property a much more attractive prospect.

Recent completed works include:

207 Kent Street, Sydney
Cromwell’s Projects Team has successfully concluded construction activities on levels 18, 19, and 20. These enhancements are in preparation for the upcoming occupancy of new tenants in the forthcoming months.

The tenancy areas have undergone upgrades, featuring environmentally conscious carbon-neutral flooring and energy-efficient LED troffer lighting. Additionally, significant improvements have been made to lift lobbies and amenities across various floors. Both cold shell and warm shell office spaces have been prepared for future fitouts.

These recent endeavours build upon the substantial base build refurbishment that was previously undertaken in 2022. This refurbishment included a lobby refresh inspired by a First Nations Indigenous design, with the addition of end-of-trip facilities. These facilities encompass a spacious bike storage area, expanded shower amenities, and the installation of numerous new storage lockers.

95 Grenfell Street, Adelaide
Cromwell Direct Property Fund’s Chesser House property, located in the heart of Adelaide, has recently seen the completion of speculative fitouts in two tenancies.

The suites boast neutral colour palettes, highlighted by gentle blues and calming green tones, contributing to a serene ambience. The layout of the 360sqm and 200sqm spaces has been strategically planned to maximise functionality. This includes dedicated areas for meeting rooms, quiet spaces, and collaborative zones.

100 Creek Street, Brisbane
Three speculative fitouts, completed in December 2022, were well received by the market; prompting the building of a further four speculative fitouts, across two floors, this year.

The design of these suites focused on breakout areas and collaboration zones to address market requirements in addition to providing quiet rooms to those wishing to concentrate on tasks or avoid distraction.

To enhance the value of the space, carbon-neutral flooring inspired by First Nations Indigenous culture was carefully selected and incorporated.

Continuing to improve our strategy

In response to market dynamics, Cromwell is reshaping our speculative fitout approach. Our primary goal is optimising financial efficiency, particularly during periods when tenants are yet to be secured.

As part of this process, we’re introducing a fresh concept: pre-lease design concepts – that is, potential tenants can influence final touches after pre-commitment. By addressing tenant preferences, we enhance experiences and minimise post-move changes. This strategy balances financial prudence, tenant engagement, and functional design, exceeding expectations consistently.

Our designs offer lasting allure, catering to diverse needs. Easily upgradable components reduce major modifications. Further, ESG considerations remain paramount to our business decisions – we integrate eco-friendly practices and repurpose elements to cut waste.

In essence, our approach emphasises sustainability, functionality, and tenant satisfaction. Adaptable designs create appealing, eco-conscious spaces.

In conclusion

As the office market continues to evolve, Cromwell is committed to ensuring that our assets adequately meet current and future tenant requirements – we will adapt office spaces to meet tenants’ needs, improving our vacancy rates in a highly competitive market.

By developing our approach to improve the occupancy of our assets, we will deliver favourable outcomes for investors now and in the future.

^{1 Choosing the best fit for your organisation, May 2023 (JLL Research)
2 Third Places – A health alternative to working from home?, January 2023 (Swinburne University of Technology and Third-Place.org)
3 Office Market Report, July 2023, (Property Council of Australia)}