9 Mar 2022

An easy going workspace that fosters creativity and collaboration

Go Easy, an alternative financial services provider, looked to reimagine their Mississauga office space into a welcoming and friendly atmosphere that would empower and energize their large staff. The new interior enhances employee performance and stimulates creativity through its collaborative workspace.

Interior Designer: Guy Painchaud, ARIDO

Design Team: Heidi Painchaud, ARIDO; Zartash Javed, ARIDO; Sonia Skwarka, ARIDO

Design Firm: iN Studio Design Inc.

Photographer: A Frame

Small collaboration office behind glass walls and door, with office furniture in corporate Go Easy colours

One of our client’s main goals for the project was to break down barriers and silos between departments. Our team accomplished this by designing an agile work environment with a floor plan suited to unassigned, flexible seating that caters to the needs of today’s mobile worker. Various meeting rooms, collaboration zones, and an oversized cafe provide additional space for employees to interact and collaborate.

A view of the bright and open cafeteria space with lots of tables and seating, with adjacent meeting rooms behind glass 'garage doors'.

The 3,000 square-foot cafe located at the heart of the space, serves as an entry point to the office as well as a hub of interaction between various departments. Adjacent to the cafe, three large meeting rooms with functioning garage doors allow for smaller meetings or, if needed, can be opened to extend the communal zone to allow for larger gatherings. Additionally, games, booths, and collaboration tables are integrated throughout the cafe.

Bright and open cafeteria space with lots of tables and seating, with white and wood finishes and pops of blue

A warm and inviting speakeasy bar and lounge area

Centered around the atrium, various work zones are indicated by Go Easy’s brand colors including green and blue. The workspace also features a yoga studio, two prayer rooms, a genius bar for IT, and lockers. A fully functioning speakeasy pub, hidden behind a pivoting bookcase and branded wall, provides an escape environment from the energetic hustle and bustle of the office.

Walking track that connects different areas of the office to encourage movement throughout the day

Opting for a completely agile work environment, the design was strategically developed to keep people circulating through the office interior, working where and when they needed to. Drawing inspiration from motion and the theme of moving forward both in life and business, a functioning walking track connects all wings of the building and encourages movement between the various zones. Teams have embraced this design solution and are booking walking meetings to take advantage of the track throughout the work day. Additionally, each of the various neighborhoods are anchored by a different amenity space, another way to ensure people move around, interact and get to know each other.

A comfy lounge area with sofa and chairs, featuring blues, grays and wood finishes that add warmth.

Our client also wanted to ensure that their new office space properly communicated their friendly, forward thinking brand to their customers. Working with clients who are typically in financial distress, Go Easy wanted to guarantee their space provided a bright, welcoming, and fun environment – a stark difference from the typical bank branch. To help enforce the friendly and transparent atmosphere, the design forgoes the typical reception area and instead visitors are greeted by a concierge who leads them directly into the energetic cafe – the heart of the space.