Redefining the future of work through flexibility, community, and design
This article was first published in The Post (Stuff NZ) on 10 November 2025.
When Auckland company director Simon Rooney decided to move offices he wanted to find office space that represented the future of working, with a focus on collaboration.
That led him to One Albert, the refurbished 18-storey, 1970s modernist building formerly known as West Plaza, that is located at the intersection of Albert and Customs Streets in downtown Auckland.
It offers a range of serviced office suites and shared working spaces, including bookable meeting rooms, a members club lounge, a theatre, end of trip facilities, several onsite hospitality offerings, and a concierge.
Rooney’s company, Find Recruitment, set up office there in March 2024. They have a secure 14-person suite on a floor with several other tenants, with whom they share a kitchen and breakout area.
“Our previous office had a much bigger floorplate, but many of our employees work flexibly, and we didn’t need such a large space. We wanted a more flexible space, which also allowed for networking, and that’s what we have here.”
“In terms of costs, it’s been really helpful as we pay for the space that we actually use, and we are using less space these days, but we get access to the facilities.”
Another attraction was the regular functions, including drinks, breakfasts, speakers and networking events, he says.
“That’s been productive on the business front as through networking we have gained further business, and we know of other companies that have too.
“It’s a very different workspace model to those of the past, but the whole team really enjoys it, and we wouldn’t go back to a traditional office environment.”
One Albert is the flagship building in the Quattro Alberts portfolio, which includes The Formery at 87 Albert Street, and four buildings on a block at Victoria Street West that are currently being developed.
Quattro Alberts is an Auckland off-shoot of the privately held Sydney-based Quattro Group. An office property investor and operator, it buys B-grade buildings in good locations and extensively upgrades them.
In Auckland, it then leases out flexible, serviced office suites complemented by shared amenities, lifestyle facilities, curated events and its membership club network.
Quattro Group managing director New Zealand Mark Gedye told The Post it was fair to say it was a globally unique model as it did not cater to the traditional office market in the traditional way.
The conventional office landlord focused on large businesses taking on big floorplates with long leases and responsibility for capital expenditures, he says.
“That model focuses on the big fish business, but we focus on the small fish, the small and medium enterprises that make up 72% of Auckland businesses, and which have been forgotten about by landlords here, and globally.”
Quattro then worked with its tenants to be agile, responsive, and to give them what they needed, whether it was in lease terms, space arrangements, or services, he says.
“Because we are the owner and operator we can control the eco-system, and we work to create an environment that gives our tenants’ employees a reason to come to the office.
“That’s why we provide hotel-level services to our tenants, and that’s why a key element of our offering is the culture and community that we cultivate. We believe that provides good value for businesses.”
The model works for Steven Giannoulis, who is managing director of Insight Creative. His company has had its headquarters at One Albert in a secured suite on a shared floor for about six months.
Changing times and work patterns meant their old office space was too big, but they had also felt a bit isolated, and wanted the vibe and energy of being around other companies, he says.
“Our space is smaller here, but we have access to all the facilities, which we make extensive use of, and we love the energy in the building. It is a really creative, dynamic environment.
“A real bonus for us is that cost-wise, it’s about half the rent cost we were paying for our last office, and that makes a big difference to our business in these tough times.
They are also saving on quite a few costs they used to pay for at their last office, such as fit out and furniture, security, and cleaning, he says.
“Here, the landlord looks after these things for us, and that saves us money and the time spent managing them. And we’ve also found new business opportunities off the back of the events Quattro organises, so it’s a win for us.”
Quattro’s model is in place at One Albert and The Formery, and will be instituted in the four-building Victoria Street West development, known as The Exchange, once it is completed.
Gedye says One Albert is now more than 90% leased, while occupancy at The Formery was about 80%, and should hit 85% by the end of the year.
“We are confident in the depth of our market, due to the amount of small and medium businesses operating, and because we are offering a unique environment for them.”
While the focus is on smaller businesses, it does have some big companies as tenants, he adds. They include Oracle, Expedia, IBM spinoff Kyndryl, and insurer Lockton at One Albert, and Maersk, Oppo, Uber and L’Oreal at The Formery.
Quattro Alberts’ portfolio is made up of One Albert, The Formery, the Exchange, which will be valued at about $230m on completion, and three buildings in the Viaduct.
The company’s chief commercial officer Luke Condon says the value of those assets is about $650m, but the plan is to increase the portfolio’s value by about $300m over the next couple of years.
“That will involve expanding our CBD office holdings to between 60,000 and 80,000 square metres, and we are looking at several buildings in Auckland, and one in Sydney that we hope to purchase in the short-term.”
Longer-term, Quattro aims to purchase more buildings, and to roll out the curated, flexible office model it is incubating in Auckland to cities such as Sydney, Singapore and London, he says.