All businesses need a place to conduct their day to day operations, a place that makes employees feel welcomed and refreshed as they spend their day working towards a common goal. But not all offices are made equally, some Australian companies have gone above and beyond to ensure that their workers simply won’t want to leave! From large corporate headquarters to funky coworking spaces tucked away in repurposed warehouses, here are Australia’s 5 most jaw dropping office spaces.

Slack – Melbourne

Choosing Melbourne as its Asia-Pacific headquarters, Slack has created a lush and tranquil space that is both jaw-dropping and soothing. Originally serving as one of the first four offices for the communication platform, the Slack Melbourne office fits in well with the city’s vibrant hipster vibe, featuring grounded craftsmanship using locally sourced materials such as raw timber and polished concrete. What sets Slack’s office apart from other workspaces is its unprecedented use of indoor plants, designed to transport employees and visitors into the middle of a vibrant jungle. Employees wouldn’t be blamed for almost forgetting that they are at work considering their surroundings!

Aside from the striking design, Slack’s Melbourne office also includes features such as; meeting rooms with bleacher-style seating, a fully stocked kitchen (complete with a bar for Friday drinks), silo shaped conference rooms, and Perch, a system installed in the kitchen that uses an iPad as a virtual window into other Slack offices around the globe.

ANZ – Sydney

Designed by HASSELL, the ANZ Sydney head office looks like exactly what you would think of when you think of a high-flying banking office. Located conveniently in the heart of the Sydney CBD, the ANZ office utilises the verticality of the building through a central atrium which ties together the multiple levels and must truly be seen to be believed.

The office is also highly functional, equipped with multiple private and open plan spaces catering for all possibilities. This level of flexibility extends to the floors themselves, which each new level serving as a ‘neighbourhood’ with a distinctive workstyle. ANZ allows their employees to mix and match their desired workstyle, moving freely between each ‘neighbourhood’ to find their ideal work environment.

Canva – Sydney

Voted Australia’s best place to work by LinkedIn, Canva’s office in the Surry Hills suburb of Sydney is the gold standard for Australian workspaces. Since its launch in 2012, Canva’s meteoric growth has resulted in the need to create workspaces that not only fit all 900+ employees across its multiple offices, but also served to foster their creativity as they continue to innovate in the crowded tech industry.

Blending in with the hip suburb surrounding it, Canva’s office is the ultimate expression of the tech entrepreneur spirit. This concept is obvious as soon as you enter the building, with Canva’s high-tech sign in system juxtaposed against the steampunk looking espresso machine which sits right next to it. You’d almost be forgiven for thinking that the office doubled as a youth hostel, as multiple longue areas (serving as break out zones) intertwine with a communal dining area and stage for events and performances. When you take in to account the rock-climbing wall, arcade games, and massage chairs sprinkled throughout the building, it’s easy to see why Canva is considered Australia’s best place to work.

When it comes to actual workspace, Canva features open plan spaces that are split between the main office and various smaller buildings located on the same street, necessary expansions acquired in order to keep up with the rapid expansion of the company. Like the ANZ Sydney headquarters, Canva’s office allows employees to work in the style that best suits them, offering traditional desks (that can be transformed into standing desks) as well as couches and bean bags for those who like to relax as they work.

Atlassian – Sydney

With a value of US$26.6 billion, Atlassian is Australia’s largest tech company. Founded in 2002 by a duo of University of New South Wales graduates, Atlassian works behind the scenes to develop software and management tools for some of the world’s most famous companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Toyota, and even NASA.

Atlassian’s headquarters located in the heart of the Sydney CBD represents the pinnacle of Australian tech workspaces, with room for hundreds of employees and facilities that put stereotypical offices to shame. Open plan is the name of the game at Atlassian as spacious modular workspaces allow for employees to move furniture to create the ideal setting for team conversations. When it comes to rest and relaxation, Atlassian’s office includes multiple recreation and break rooms dotted throughout the office designed to push their central mantra of teamwork (whilst also squeezing in a few cups of tea!) Furthermore, soundproof pods can be seen around the office, built as isolated chambers for one-on-one meetings and important work sessions.

Despite the incredible scale, this office remains just a drop in the ocean for Atlassian. Boasting over 3,000 employees and nine offices spread over six countries, this Australian tech giant is showing no signs of slowing down as they head into the future.

Brand Freak – Fremantle

Slightly less grand that the other offices on this list, Brand Freak’s coworking space located near Fremantle in Western Australia is a different breed of work environment. Designed as a haven for creatives, influencers, and small businesses, Brand Freak aims to bring together some of WA’s best up and coming talent in a space that screams inspiration.

From the peach coloured walls and striking neon sign, to the perfect social media lighting and the funky disco ball, Brand Freak aims to use every inch of its comparably small internal space to promote hard work and innovation in a repurposed warehouse setting.