Not even open for two years, FLUX has leapt to the top of the local co-working space options, and has been recognised as one of the top 5 spaces in the country…
Walking through the foyer of FLUX at 191 St George’s Terrace in Perth, you know you are in ‘startup central.’ Stop for a coffee or sit for a while in the lounge chairs, and within a few minutes you’ll see people you know.
Either breezing through the glass doors, discussing matters over a coffee or rushing in and out of the CORE Innovation Hub or the elevators, you’ll spot a startup cofounder or a tech guy or an investor type or all three.
The original Spacecubed (now called ‘Riff’) may have been Perth’s first co-working space of its kind, but FLUX has become – through sheer size and location – the epicentre in many ways. The glass doors allow Terracians to gaze inside, whereas its older cousin at number 45 is tucked away. Only the Spacecubed bike betrays its location, although that will change later this year when the entire ground floor is redeveloped.
Each to their own. Some prefer Riff, some FLUX, and Spacecubed (the organisation that runs both) ought to be very proud of both their creations.
There was nothing like either of them pre-2012. Now FLUX takes up 5 groovy floors of the Hawaiian Building at 191. Riff will double its size this year, and together they will offer 5,000 sq metres of co-working, office and hangout space.
Like so many of its CBD counterparts a few years ago, the office building at 191 was fairly empty. Now it’s full, and pulsating. You can smell the energy. Or is that the coffee. No, it’s the energy.
Perhaps the answer to the rising commercial emptiness of the city (rising to 29% as the mining construction boom faded) was an improving economy – yes – and also this novel take on co-working. Just as the gig economy took off as traditional business slowed, so the introduction of Riff and FLUX came at the perfect time for individuals and businesses who wanted to try something new.
Congrats to Brodie McCulloch and all involved.
To check out the other finalists in ‘Best Co-Working Spaces in Australia‘ read Qantas May inflight magazine online. Spacecubed’s partner River City Labs in Brisbane is also named.
The judges’ citation reads:
“Born of the startup community and gig economy, the co-working space is upending the office around the world. The best are centrally located and cleverly designed spaces for both private productivity and convivial collaboration, with the ability to rent a desk or an office for a day, week or month. Most also host permanent tenants and are part of member networks that unlock other space and instant communities when you travel. They usually have a strong startup bent but readily welcome workers of every stripe. These are the inaugural finalists in this category.
“Flux, Perth
“Flux was created for entrepreneurs who’d outgrown Spacecubed (the company’s founding co-working location) but wanted to keep the startup spirit alive. Sprawling over 2800 square metres and four and a half floors, Flux also houses Core Innovation Hub, where members are matched with industry partners from mining, oil and gas to share ideas. Its success led to the Combine Agtech Hub opening in February, focusing on Western Australia’s other key sector. An in-house gym and stacks of bike lockers do their bit to keep the creative oxygen flowing. A desk is $44 a day or $94 a week and a two-person office is $575 a week.”
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Read about FLUX and 15 others in our newly updated list of co-working spaces in Perth.
