Hypetap moves into historic Swann House on Flinders Lane

One of Australia’s fastest-growing creative agencies is set to make its new home in one of Melbourne’s most historically significant CBD buildings, with Hypetap signing on as the inaugural tenant at the newly refurbished Swann House on Flinders Lane.

The move marks a strong vote of confidence in the city centre as a headquarters location, with the influencer marketing, content, social and data agency choosing to reinvest in the Melbourne CBD rather than relocate elsewhere.

Founded in 2014, Hypetap now employs more than 50 staff across Melbourne, Sydney and London – including 35 based locally. The company will move its Melbourne team from Collins St into its new Level 8 premises in early January.

Beyond a simple office relocation, the decision reflects a broader trend of high-growth firms recommitting to the CBD as the engine room of collaboration, creativity and client engagement.

Hypetap’s managing director Bryce Coombe said remaining in the heart of the city was a deliberate decision to keep the business connected to the “accessibility, energy and amenity” that Flinders Lane offers.

Swann House itself is an important piece of Melbourne’s built heritage. Originally constructed in 1921 for the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, the building has undergone an extensive refurbishment led by Plus Studio, bringing new life to its Art Deco character.

The project included a full overhaul of services, lifts, lighting and air systems, as well as premium end-of-trip facilities and a glazed eastern extension that opens the building further to the Flinders Lane streetscape.

The restoration is a reminder of the value of preserving historic CBD buildings not only as cherished architectural assets but as vital contributors to Melbourne’s economic and cultural life.

For ST Real Estate, which owns the building, securing Hypetap as its first tenant underscores the rising demand for workplaces that blend heritage character with modern functionality.

Vice-chairman Patrick Lardi described it as a major endorsement of the company’s vision and of the continued strength of the CBD as a business destination. 

Hypetap’s workspace, designed by Studio 103, has been customised to support the agency’s collaborative and creative culture as it enters its next phase of growth.

For Melbourne, the tenancy is another sign that the city’s historic commercial buildings – once facing uncertainty during the CBD’s quieter years – remain sought-after addresses for innovative companies seeking a workplace with identity and longevity.

And for Swann House, a century after it first opened, welcoming a new generation of tenants marks the beginning of its own next chapter.