Commercial  ·  Interiors

The new normal

October 25, 2023

CENTRED AROUND HUMAN CONNECTIONS, EDIT STUDIOS’ VISION FOR A POST-COVID RETURN TO THE OFFICE SIGNALS NEW IDEAS, NEW ENERGIES AND NEW BEGINNINGS.

With remote-working retaining its appeal among the masses, companies looking to entice employees into physically returning to the office need to ensure that the curated environment is suited to the current needs and desires of its inhabitants. One such compa ny that has adopted this forward-thinking mindset in order to achieve the aforementioned goal is world-class Fintech company, Trulioo, who hired Edit Studios to lead the workplace and interior design strategy for their new 35,000 sq. ft. Vancouver headquarters.
The key challenge here was to understand what exactly would motivate people to leave the comfort of their homes to return to the office. As a result, the priority was to unite all 300 staff members into a collaborative, functional and productive environment that would drive interaction and collaboration. In order to do so, the Vancouver design firm utilised tools such as surveys and one-on-one interviews to uncover themes that reinforced the design direction for the space.
Spanning two floors, the newly designed space revolves around a brightly painted, interconnected staircase featuring a super colourful mural by local artist Rory Doyle, depicting Trulioo’s number one asset: their people. Speaking of colour, the corporate rebrand allowed Edit to use the concepts and colours to inform the office’s palette, signage and wayfinding; everything down to the wall coverings was custom designed, referencing the rebrand’s shapes and colours. When entering through the reception area, one can’t help but notice the abstract topographic continents of the world scribed on the wall — a piece meant to communicate Trulioo’s global reach.
It became clear that acoustical privacy was necessary as open working environments alone would no longer work. Employees are on virtual calls daily and require more phone rooms and small meeting rooms to conduct their work without disrupting their fellow neighbours. Therefore, clusters of phone rooms ranging in size break up the office work points and offer respite to concentrate. On the other hand, open collaboration areas are positioned away from work points, limiting the number of interruptions in a day.
60% of Trulioo’s space comprises amenity areas, meeting spaces and open collaboration areas which are centrally located around work points, each with a slightly different fit and feel. A 1,500 sq. ft. library was created for distraction-free work, along with a “living room” that offers a more social setting to collaborate, watch the news or play Xbox with a colleague. The café allows staff to meet weekly with state-of-the-art technology to host town halls. Within this space, Edit carved out “Arcade Alley”, home to various vintage arcade games, foosball, and ping pong. Discreetly tucked away behind wooden doors is Trulioo’s very own Irish pub, offering a bespoke nod to their satellite office in Dublin.
Perhaps the most unique feature is the series of plant libraries scattered around the office which were set up upon discovering that employees self-identified how important plant life is to their wellbeing. As a result, they are free to borrow a plant and take it back to their desk for the day.
A layered lighting approach, soft furnishings and a warm colour palette constitute some of the core ingredients that allows Trulioo’s final design to offer a comforting residential feel but elevated with the latest amenities and technologies fit for a modern office. From “library” settings that boast no zoom calls to “living room” spaces that allow one to kick back and watch a game, there truly is something to satisfy everyone in an era of [corporate] enlightenment.
For more information visit www.editstudios.ca