
Maintaining the design integrity of a Canadian institution
The Bank of Canada wanted to create seamless, collaborative and flexible spaces for their 1,400 employees at their existing head office, originally designed in 1970 by renowned architect Arthur Erickson.
Interior Designer: Janine Grossman, ARIDO
Design Team: Joanne D'Silva, ARIDO
Design Firm: Perkins + Will
Photographer: Double Space Photography
The vision was to transform the building into a series of agile and contemporary work spaces that supported organizational efficiencies and provided technology-enabled spaces. To meet this vision, the project team created a design that was based on the guiding principles of openness, transparency and workplace effectiveness and embedded flexibility and resiliency into their design interventions.
The design team maintained the integrity of the original 1970's design by finding opportunities in the 835,000 square foot space to re-frame the original elements of the building within a modern context.
The central atrium was transformed into vibrant amenity and workspace that included collaborative lounges, food and beverage services, and multi-purpose conference facilities. By allowing people to work in the atrium, organizational silos and spatial hierarchies were broken in favour of a more integrated workplace which transformed the Bank's culture.
Within the twin glass towers, the design team developed a modular office design, sympathetic to the existing concrete pillars, a character-defining element of the 1970's towers. The design team worked closely with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the character-defining elements of the original project were preserved and enhanced. The result was a bright and interconnected workplace that enhanced the culture of an iconic Canadian institution.
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