Koba has entered into a 10-year partnership lease with AEW to design, fit-out, and manage its debut location, spanning approximately 30,000 sq ft in the flagship 100 Barbirolli Square office building at the heart of Manchester City Centre.

To be designated as Koba @ 100 Barbirolli Square, the site will occupy Levels 0 & 1 within the 200,000 sq ft, 10-storey Grade A office complex. This building has recently undergone a transformative £30 million investment programme, attracting high-profile occupiers such as Brabners, Freeths, and Stantec.

This agreement signifies Koba’s entry into the flexible workspace market following its establishment in 2023. Led by founders Paul Nellist, Rob Stewart, James Thorne, and Tom Beard, Koba is committed to genuinely sustainable workspace solutions. The company is poised to announce a second location shortly.

At 100 Barbirolli Square, Koba plans to revitalise the vacant space into a vibrant new hub featuring a variety of meeting rooms and business spaces. The offerings will include a mix of private office suites suitable for companies needing 20-200 desks, alongside smaller 4-6 person studios and individual co-working desks.

Work on the site is expected to start soon, with the opening planned for early Q4 2024.

Paul Nellist, Managing Director, Koba, said: “It was incredibly important to mark the start of Koba’s journey with a venture that enables us to implement our sustainability manifesto and demonstrate that we can create premium workspaces that are demonstrably better for people and the planet.

“Having worked closely with our partners to devise a design framework that focuses on the circular economy, we are excited that our vision will be realised at 100 Barbirolli Square.”

Koba was self-represented in the transaction with OBI acting for the landlord.

The landlord’s joint agents on 100 Barbirolli Square are OBI and Savills. On behalf of the landlord, Andrew Cowell of OBI commented: “We are thrilled that Koba will be launching at 100 Barbirolli Square this year. Koba’s premium and sustainable offering will deliver a new type of flexible workspace and is set to generate a huge amount of interest in Manchester. Koba @ 100 Barbirolli Square will add immense value to the scheme and is an important part of the ongoing activation of the building as it will enhance the amenities available to current and future tenants. Interest in the remaining space at 100 Barbirolli Square is high and we are confident that the building will be fully let by the end of the year.”