WorkplaceOne – Toronto Coworking Offices

Firm
  • Client WorkplaceOne,
  • size 17,500 sqft
  • Year 2014
  • Location Toronto, Canada,
  • Industry Coworking,
  • Straticom has created a new design for WorkplaceOne’s King West coworking offices located in Toronto, Canada.

    Project Overview: Envisioning an environment to foster Toronto’s start-up business community, the design solution for WorkplaceOne King West reflects the company vision that, ‘a workspace should go far beyond just a building with offices inside’. Productivity, innovation and the merging of corporate cultures inspired and drove the original design concept.

    Creating and interactive interior full of rich patterns and colours, the design team crafted a space to delight that would speak to a younger generation through bold graphics and fun, personable on-trend features.

    Reflecting consistent branding across other WorkplaceOne locations, the new design meets company-wide standards while respecting existing architecture. A solution for urban dwellers in the heart of the city, the shared workspace concept is accessible by bicycle and transit.

    Seventy-five rentable offices include shared use of two meeting rooms for 12 or 6, and diverse collaboration zones for team or client meetings. An oversized lunch servery doubles as an inspired collaboration meeting area crafted to promote interaction – a place tenants are proud to showcase to their clients, and can quickly escape from pressures in the workplace.

    Attracting new tenants by creating a bold impact with the space is crucial to the success and longevity of the WorkplaceOne business model. Design strategies employed to effectively meet tight budget requirements included: selecting flexible, low-cost furniture that could easily be replaced to accommodate tenant change over time; and aligning circulation within the pre-existing grid system to keep costs low.

    With the intent to create a welcoming environment for both short-term and long-term users, the design solution evokes a sense of ‘home’.

    Elements inspired by the city living and iconic architecture are blended with whimsical references to the great outdoors, creating modern take on the ‘Urban Cottage’ in this unique workplace environment.

    Project Results: Opening on time and on budget, the effectiveness of the design solution is clearly measurable. 20 offices were rented to new tenants before the opening date, and excitement demonstrated through social media prior to the opening clearly showed that people were proud to start working in this new location.

    Highly impactful, the creative design solution for WorkplaceOne King West encourages new relationships between tenants, providing an inspired space for the cross-pollination of ideas and fostering great work through creative design.

    Design: Straticom
    Design team: Sabrina Giacometti, Marla Schwisberg, Tamara Payoto
    Photography: Naomi Finlay