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CBRE Ottawa
By : Provencher_Roy
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Office / Office 5,400 - 54,000 sq.ft. (500 - 5 000 sq. m.) : Gold Certification
Reconnecting with light and views: Elegance and conviviality feature prominently in the new CBRE Ottawa offices
CBRE, a world leader in real estate investment, called upon Provencher_Roy to design its offices in downtown Ottawa. The new spaces are situated at Constitution Square, one of the city’s rare Class AAA buildings. CBRE therefore takes its place in one of the three prestigious towers, along with the neighbouring businesses, organizations, and embassies. Inaugurated in July of 2023, the new offices span 627 m2 (6,750 ft2) and welcome thirty-some employees and clients of the firm in an atmosphere that is at once warm and refined. The project is doubly expressive, aiming on the one hand for conviviality (through the simplicity of materials, warmth of wood, and softness of lighting), and on the other hand for sophistication (through the contrast of materials employed, textural equilibrium, and play of motifs on interior finishes). Design decisions favour a connection with natural light and views of the city.
Provencher_Roy places biophilia at the centre of the design of the new CBRE Ottawa offices. The team furthers the principle that visual contact with elements evocative of nature produces positive effects on the body, especially in the workplace. Stress is reduced, the feeling of well-being increases, and creativity is stimulated. But for this project, the idea of biophilia goes beyond the simple presence of plants. It is translated by the implementation of many key principles, such as a non-visual connection to nature (through interior design that appeals to the touch), thermal comfort and air flow (employees feel reinvigorated by the circulation of fresh air), dynamic and diffused lighting (users are connected to natural rhythms and daylight), and finally, by seeking out long-distance views (employing an “L” plan offering the most perspectives as possible of the city). No blind corridors at CBRE: the corridors systematically offer openings revealing interesting viewpoints. In fact, bathed in sunlight, one of the meeting rooms offers a splendid view of the Peace Tower. Similarly, the shared workspaces are graced with large windows framing a vast panorama of Ottawa.
The project favours connections to natural rhythms (via generous openings enabling employees to observe the seasons unfolding), biomorphic motifs (through the omnipresence of natural forms, sometimes inspired by fractals), and materiality (conjuring up boreal nature). The design reinforces the idea of office as refuge (CBRE employees will be able to tune out stimuli while retaining views of the world around them). The presence of Rise Café, an oasis of relaxation visible from the entrance, in addition to the fabric lighting punctuating the spaces, infuse the project with a warm and pleasant ambiance. The shade of green chosen echoes the firm’s branding, while also evoking the immense coniferous forests typically present in Canada. Ceramic flooring echoing grey rock or onyx, and wooden partitions reminiscent of tree trunks and bark: just a few of the many elements anchoring the project within its vast context. The interior design of the new CBRE offices offers a calming and luminous workspace conducive to collaboration and daily well-being.
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