Cisco Offices – Toronto
HOK has completed the design for the offices of IT giant Cisco located in Toronto, Canada.
For Cisco Canada’s new headquarters in downtown Toronto, HOK helped the company design a workplace that promotes radical changes in how its people work.
Located within the new RBC WaterPark Place building, Toronto’s first LEED Core and Shell Platinum certified office building, Cisco Canada’s headquarters accommodate nearly 900 Cisco employees and is located within easy walking distance of the downtown core and several transit modes.
As one of the firm’s most technologically advanced offices, the space functions as a living laboratory for Cisco’s Internet of Everything (IoE), as well as a showroom for clients. The intelligent building systems link Cisco’s people, processes, data and things on a single network, enabling drastic changes to how its employees work.
The smart, connected building infrastructure supports a 100 percent free address approach in the workplace. Instead of having an assigned seat, employees have the flexibility to select a workspace that supports their activities and needs when they arrive for the day. Once at a workstation, their smart devices link with their computers. They can adjust personal comfort settings for lighting and temperature within established ranges.
A 2.6:1 ratio of individual workstations encourages Cisco’s people to use technology to work remotely and in team areas. To spur spontaneous interaction, the design provides a variety of places for Cisco’s people to come together and collaborate. Writing surfaces and video screens throughout the space support this approach.
Smart meeting rooms adjust for the number of participants, with intelligent sensors monitoring and changing the temperature, lighting and air as needed.
The Cisco-branded environments highlight the company’s commitment to innovation and leadership in providing integrated technologies. A Client Briefing Centre and Innovation Centre showcase Cisco’s new collaboration technology products.
With fewer desks but more meeting areas and amenities, space is used more efficiently than in a typical office. In addition to creating a better employee experience and enhancing productivity, Cisco’s new workplace uses less energy and reduces building management costs.
