South Eveleigh: Sydney’s Newest Hub of Innovation
In November of 2022 Work Club Locomotive will make its debut in the South Eveleigh precinct, and is set to become the leading workspace destination for changemakers and business minds. Just a stone’s throw from Redfern Station, South Eveleigh is a veritable hub of innovation and is home to Australia’s leading technological minds. This inner city suburb is a celebration of Sydney’s unique cultural history, the crown jewel of which is the heritage listed Locomotive Workshop. Read on to discover the rich history of this Redfern business park and why we chose it for our next pro-working space.
In the early 20th century, Redfern and its neighbouring suburb, South Eveleigh, were home to flourishing urban Aboriginal communities. Much of the local population found work in the factories along Botany Road and at the South Eveleigh Railway Workshop, and over the years the area became synonymous with both industry and activism. In fact it was in the Locomotive Workshop that Australia’s first ever steam trains were made, leading to a new age of connection and accessibility for the entire country. During the first and second World War, the Workshop was also used to manufacture munitions for Australia’s armies. This led to remarkable advancements being made in engineering and manufacturing, with Eveleigh becoming the frontrunner of Australia’s industry. During this time factory workers were not only tasked with creating munitions, they were still having to keep up with demand for transport, leading to a significant strain on resources. The Locomotive Workshop responded to this strain with what is now its characteristic ingenuity and adaptability.
Since its very beginnings the Locomotive Workshop has encouraged those working within it to undertake collaborative ventures and maximise both capacity and creativity, which is exactly why it was chosen to be Work Club’s latest pro-working space. Its rich history of activism and commerce have been carried with it through the ages, becoming the signature of this Sydney business park. The areas of South Eveleigh and Redfern have blossomed into the epicentre of technological advancement that they are today.
Eveleigh may not be the first suburb you think of for inner city offices, but it’s evolved dramatically from its industrial past. Eveleigh and Redfern are pioneering a new future of innovation, productivity, collaboration and technology. The area’s rich history and propensity for encouraging collaboration has allowed for rapid advancements across multiple disciplines, drawing in more and more businesses who share common visions of a brighter future. It’s been proven time and time again that working amongst highly skilled individuals not only encourages improvement in your own work, but prompts opportunities for cross-pollination and the birth of wonderful new ideas, which is why office space in Redfern and coworking space in Redfern are becoming such hot commodities. The same can be said for the rise in interest for flex office space in suburbs such as Alexandria and Surry Hills.
For decades, Sydney’s CBD has been an economic powerhouse and the lifeblood of commerce, culture, and leisure – but following the rapid rise of hybrid working, things are beginning to shift. The advantage of such population dense office locations was the numerous opportunities for cross-pollination and collaboration between industries, but with the influx of businesses choosing coworking spaces over traditional offices, this same advantage can be found in greater effect across many suburbs outside the CBD. The areas of Redfern and Eveleigh, as well as their neighbouring suburbs of Alexandria and Surry Hills, are perfect examples of this shift, as the number of innovation-driven businesses flocking towards them surely proves. Sydney’s inner-city is experiencing a renaissance; the combination of new businesses arising and the proximity to the country’s top universities creating an incubator for innovation and fresh ideas.
The site of Work Club Locomotive was strategically chosen to allow its members to experience the convenience of a city location whilst benefiting from the cultural atmosphere of the inner-city and the opportunities that arise from the Sydney innovation hub. Work Club Locomotive will house 3200m of curated office space, featuring state of the art meeting and conference facilities, a licensed bar and artfully designed break out space.
The design of this workspace has been chosen to complement the heritage structure of the building, featuring some of the original industrial features of the railway workshop, and will continue to be the community’s heart for all who work or visit the precinct. The intention of Work Club Locomotive’s curation is to build upon Eveleigh’s cultural and industrial history, to pay homage to the technological advancements that were made in this space, and to further encourage the area to flourish.
Alongside Locomotive’s carefully crafted interiors, the surrounding area boasts a number of premium lifestyle offerings including dining options such as Kylie Kwong’s ‘Lucky Kwong’, The Grounds, Brewdog, Romeo’s Food Hall IGA, and Re – Australia’s first fully sustainable bar. The space is also home to Australia’s first Indigenous Rooftop Community Garden, and several wellness facilities including pilates, yoga and barre studios.
Discover the perfect space for you at Work Club Locomotive. Book your tour today.
