When we think of enticing employees to come back to the office, we may not think about the nuanced (but real) reasons that people have for preferring at-home work.
Working alongside forward-thinking, community-engaged Urban Systems on their office renovation, our top of mind was ensuring that no staff member or visitor would feel uncomfortable engaging with the spaces around them. People with physical, visual, auditory, sensory, and neurodiverse differences needed to be heard and engaged during the planning process (kudos to USL). In addition to code requirements, we considered generous spacing and accessibility around lunchroom appliances (microwave drawer and fridges), colour contrasting at doors and in washrooms, hand-wave motion sensors in the boardroom, and other physical considerations.
In renovating this historical Yaletown brick building space, we curated a complimentary fresh, friendly material palette that offers people room to breathe and feel at home. This rendering study nicely communicates the lunchroom textures and colours used.