WZMH Architects Office – Toronto
WZMH Architects’ office redesign in Toronto beautifully reinterprets timeless design principles while fostering collaboration and innovation, creating a vibrant workspace that reflects the firm’s identity and values.
WZMH’s Toronto studio underwent a comprehensive redesign after more than 30 years, reflecting the firm’s enduring commitment to timeless design and innovation. Originally responsible for the 16-storey office building at 95 St. Clair Avenue West in the 1960s, WZMH established its head office on the 15th floor in 1988. The transformation redefines the workplace for the firm’s 120+ person team, fostering a renewed sense of pride and engagement.
The redesign repositions approximately 75% of the 15th-floor plate, while the north portion was retained as swing space during construction. This area now accommodates hoteling desks and a dedicated lab for the firm’s growing R&D team.
Key features include an enlarged kitchen and servery, a variety of collaborative spaces, and flexible east and west studios that flank an open central lounge with expansive city views. The lounge serves as the social and communal heart of the office, hosting everything from client receptions and firm-wide gatherings to classroom-style learning sessions.
Heritage elements are thoughtfully integrated throughout the interior, including Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier chairs selected by founding Principal Boris Zerafa, and a painting by his brother, Ronald Zerafa. The material palette blends classic minimalist references – such as a Barcelona Pavilion-inspired feature wall in black porcelain – with modern, high-tech elements like extruded aluminum panels.
Through its combination of materiality, adaptable furnishings, and meticulous detailing, the renovated studio embodies WZMH’s architectural vision. The space offers both staff and visitors a welcoming, future-focused environment that clearly expresses the firm’s identity and values.
Design: WZMH Architects
Photography: Doublespace
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