PLATFORM Insurance Offices – Toronto
Arcadis designed the unique PLATFORM Insurance office space in Toronto’s Brookfield Place, blending hospitality with inclusivity in a warm environment that fosters a sense of belonging and accommodates events.
In the heart of downtown Toronto, nestled within the prestigious Class A tower at Brookfield Place, lies a workspace that defies the design of a conventional insurance office space. PLATFORM Insurance partnered with Arcadis to craft an environment that embodied a vision of inclusivity, innovation and hospitality.
Founded in 2014, PLATFORM is a boutique brokerage that delivers specialized insurance and bonding solutions to the development and construction industries. With a mission to reshape the perception of insurance, PLATFORM embraced the spirit of a start-up while rapidly maturing into a significant force in the insurance industry.
Recently, PLATFORM focussed its attention on its Toronto office, located in the heart of the city. Encompassing a single floor of approximately 23,000 square feet, Arcadis was challenged with designing a space that was meticulously curated to blend timelessness with a sense of welcome and warmth, eschewing the traditional corporate aura for an atmosphere of hospitality and camaraderie. PLATFORM specifically sought a design inspired by hospitality that could easily adapt to host events—in opposition to typical insurance office space.
Arcadis’ design ethos was rooted in the notion of creating an environment where staff and clients alike could feel not just accommodated, but truly embraced. With a focus on inclusivity, every aspect of the workspace was carefully crafted to foster a familial sense of belonging.
Following the project’s completion, PLATFORM’s office quickly became a hub of activity, with nearly 50 of their 80 staff regularly coming into the office. The success of the initial phase prompted further expansion within the existing Toronto office and has led to additional offices poised to be designed across Canada in Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary.
Beyond the confines of PLATFORM’s office, the ripple effects of this collaboration resonated with the landlord, Oxford Properties, forging a new partnership grounded in shared success. So impressed were they by PLATFORM’s space that they sought Arcadis’ expertise to design suites within the Brookfield Place building, a testament to the enduring impact of PLATFORM’s transformative vision.
In the end, what emerged was a workplace culture that did not require a return to office mandate because PLATFORM’s staff elected to attend the office because of the inclusive environment the office curated.
Design: Arcadis
Property Manager: Oxford Properties Group
Photography: Ben Rahn | A-Frame Photography
