Converting Vancouver’s mid-century postal icon into a vibrant urban campus.
Hospitality-inspired designs transform golf club assets.
CANADIAN INTERIORS
TEEING UP FOR ALL SEASONS
How two private golf clubs are redesigning and leveraging their assets to stay in play year-round.
By Evan Pavka
FULL-COURT PRESS
From LED walls to high-tech dining, MLSE’s $350-million revamp of Scotiabank Arena aims to elevate the fan experience. By Peter Sobchak
STODGY TO SLEEK
Traditional law office aesthetics are giving way to designs that prioritize inclusivity, transparency and adaptability, as seen in these Toronto and Edmonton projects.
By Evan Pavka
YOU’VE GOT MAIL
Amazon and B+H Architects wrest Vancouver’s mid-century modern postal fortress into the 21st century.
By Dave LeBlanc
COVER – A new 43,000-sq.-ft. atrium at The Post, the flagship office building at Amazon’s Vancouver Tech Hub.
Photo by Seth Stevenson
01/02 2025
20 23 15 23 26
9 CAUGHT OUR EYE
11 THE GOODS Disrupt your materials library with this soundabsorbing wall system.
12 SEEN Furniture brands at Orgatec stay ahead of the curve by listening to the needs of today’s office users.
34 OVER & OUT Renowned Canadian furniture company founder and CEO, Klaus Nienkämper, has passed at the age of 84.
CANADIAN INTERIORS
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Editor in Chief
Peter Sobchak
Art Director Roy Gaiot
Contributors
Enrico Cleva, Sara Viarengo Cleva, David Lasker, Dave LeBlanc, Evan Pavka
Online Editor Lucy Mazzucco
Publisher Faria Ahmed 416-441-2085 x. 5 fahmed@canadianinteriors.com
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In editions of Canadian Interiors where new office spaces are highlighted, we typically view these spaces through lenses of interpreting where the “office” evolution is going, based on trends in workspace design such as sustainability, inclusivity and the integration of AI-driven technology. As Generation Alpha brings fresh values to the work landscape, like flexibility and climate-consciousness, businesses must anticipate these changes to create spaces and systems that meet the needs of a transitioning workforce. Hence the emergence of free desking replacing assigned spaces; offices dividing into taskbased zones; hybrid rooms accommodating hybrid workers; and of course, all things biophilic.
The same approach has been taken for this edition as well. But in this small one-page space afforded to my thoughts, I decided to apply a different lens to the topic of offices and propose this: maybe what we actually need is less office space.
The housing crisis in Toronto is a sobering reality, one that threatens not only the fabric of the city but also its economic and social vitality. At its core, the issue stems from a chronic undersupply of housing, compounded by a policy landscape that inhibits meaningful development. Among these policies, the Office Replacement Bylaw stands as a relic of another era, a well-intentioned but ultimately counterproductive regulation that now impedes the city’s ability to adapt to evolving needs. For Toronto to address its housing shortage effectively, it must repeal this bylaw.
Adopted in 2003, the Office Replacement Bylaw was designed to safeguard Toronto’s role as a business hub by ensuring that any office space demolished in key areas was replaced within new developments. At the time, this policy made sense. Office demand was robust, and the city needed mechanisms to prevent the erosion of its commercial core. However, the world has changed dramatically since then. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of hybrid work, leading to a significant and likely permanent reduction in office space utilization. Today, Toronto faces an office vacancy rate of 18.1 per cent, the highest among major Canadian cities. The bylaw’s rigidity now stymies progress, obligating developers to include unprofitable office components in residential projects, even when the market clearly does not support such uses.
By Peter Sobchak
The impact of the bylaw is far-reaching and becoming detrimental. Developers, burdened by the mandate to replace office space, face inflated costs that jeopardize the economic feasibility of their projects. This often results in higher rents for residential units, or projects stall altogether, leaving much-needed housing units unbuilt. A review of current zoning applications conducted by JLL Canada revealed that over 51,000 residential units are trapped in limbo, contingent on the resolution of this policy bottleneck.
Moreover, the Office Replacement Bylaw is a blunt instrument that fails to account for the nuances of urban redevelopment. Lowergrade office buildings, many of which are functionally obsolete, could be transformed into vibrant residential communities. Repealing the bylaw would enable the removal of over nine million square feet of lower-grade office space.
The benefits of repealing the Office Replacement Bylaw extend beyond housing. By removing an artificial constraint on land use, Toronto can unlock the full potential of its urban fabric. Architects and designers have a pivotal role to play in this transformation. They can reimagine former office sites as mixed-use developments that integrate housing with amenities, green spaces, and transitoriented designs.
For architects, the repeal of the bylaw would open new avenues for creativity and innovation. Without the requirement to incorporate redundant office space, design teams could focus on optimizing residential layouts, exploring modular construction techniques, and integrating energy-efficient technologies. The resulting developments would not only meet the demands of today’s residents but also set new benchmarks for urban living. Architects can advocate for these changes by engaging with policymakers, participating in public consultations, and showcasing the transformative potential of adaptive reuse projects.
Toronto’s housing crisis is not insurmountable, but it requires a recalibration of priorities. The Office Replacement Bylaw, once a safeguard of the city’s commercial viability, has become a barrier to progress. Repealing it is an impactful step the city can take to unlock new housing supply.
CanadianInteriors.com
Functional Flow: RioCan Head Office
The design focuses on a physical manifestation of the company’s values to foster a sense of belonging, driving motivation, pride and engagement among employees.
Eco-Friendly Innovation: Current Suite by Tridel
The Current Suite features cleantech innovations that optimize energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions while promoting health and wellness.
Glowing Up: Bardō on Locke
Light wood, white-washed brick walls and greenery are used throughout this Hamilton, Ont. restaurant, designed by Laundry Design Works.
Inspiring Innovation: Lutron Design Studio
Located in Toronto’s Queens Quay neighbourhood, this showroom showcases the future of light in the built environment.
28th Best of Canada Awards, the only national design competition in Canada to focus on interior design projects and products without regard to size, budget or location!
All winners will be published in the July/August 2025 issue of Canadian Interiors
Crash Course At first, Jaguar’s rebranding mission exploded into public consciousness with…nothing. Just a short social media video of models in weird outfits. An actual car eventually did appear: dubbed Type 00 (pronounced Type Zero Zero, not “Double Oh” which would inadvertently connect it to another iconic British brand) and shown in Miami Pink and London Blue colours at Miami Art Week, the all-electric concept is certainly dramatic with a pair of butterfly doors and ‘pantograph’ tailgate; three hand-finished brass lines running the length of the interior; a travertine stone plinth supporting the floating seats and central spine; a tactile wool blend enveloping the two seats, sound bar and flooring. But this too is a tease: it will never see production. Real road cars are yet to come. Yet despite raging debates about how effective this rebrand campaign will be, if nothing else, it’s got us talking.
Fit for No King A Best of Canada Awards judge and friend of the magazine, Reza Aliabadi, founding principal of RZLBD, has been producing short films on YouTube for some time, most notably his 100 Series* exploration of a square room, which was just turned into a book. In Thrones for Dictators, the R-01 chair designed by his atelier for a boutique restaurant in Toronto is re-envisioned as a provocative, quasi-political object to explore symbols of authority and power. 24 iterations flash by that strip away comfort and familiarity, using ready-made materials to evoke discomfort, play, and critique. These un-sittable thrones confront the relationship between power, dignity, and the act of sitting, questioning the complacency of those who hold authority.
Making Waves To celebrate their 20th anniversary, real estate development company Mission Group built a new headquarters in downtown Kelowna, B.C. Prominent in the new space is The Wake of Change, an art installation symbolizing its connection to the Okanagan region. Inspired by looking up from beneath Okanagan Lake, wooden ribs on the ceiling mimic ripples left by a boat. These ribs transition into a 3D streetscape of vertical and horizontal shelves, mapping Kelowna’s evolution from Mission Group’s first lakefront project to recent developments. Crafted in walnut veneer, the piece integrates with structural elements like lighting and ductwork.
By Enrico Cleva
This sound-absorbing wall system showcases a commitment to sustainability through its novel use of plant-based and regenerated materials. Crafted from a unique mix of flax, bio-based fibers, and recycled plastic, Bloom highlights the beauty of grasses, petals and flowers sourced from agricultural land that is “resting,” according to traditional cultivation practices, and free of chemical additives. The system’s seasonal mix of herbs and flowers means surfaces can have an appearance unique to that harvest. Treated at high temperatures, the flowers retain their fragrance and lose their allergen.
THE GOODS
Bloom’s installation techniques also score high on the clever quotient: its Velcro attachment allows for easy assembly, removal, and reuse, making it adaptable and sustainable. Bloom embodies “acousthetics,” a neologism coined by Slalom to summarize the combination of acoustic comfort, ethics and aesthetics, aligning with the growing trend of botanical-inspired interior design. Integrating innovation with ecological principles, Bloom transforms spaces into living artworks while enhancing sound quality. www.slalom-it.com
Bloom | Slalom
By Enrico Cleva and Sara Viarengo Cleva
Seating the Future
As workplace dynamics continue to evolve, furniture brands at Orgatec 2024 were showcasing attempts to stay ahead of the curve by listening to the needs and expectations of today’s office users.
With a new hall layout, topic-centered Focus Areas and the Work Culture Festival, Orgatec further consolidated its position as one of the sector’s leading international trade fairs. Key themes for the highlighted products included sustainability, multi-functionality, blending work and pleasure, acoustic and aesthetics, and offered wide-ranging insights into the design of productive, healthy and inclusive work environments. With this new redefined show format, visitors could find ready-to-go prototypes, new materials, and innovative concepts alongside established and commercially available products.
BuzziBrella | BuzziSpace Designed to transform spacious environments, BuzziBrella, inspired by the shape of an umbrella, offers a new level of comfort and functionality by combining elegant aesthetics with advanced acoustic performance. This unique product seamlessly integrates into modern and traditional interiors, offering a multi-functional solution for diverse needs. www.buzzi.space/
www.marasrl.it
and
Typo Chair | Mara Designed by Amdl Circle, the studio founded by Michele De Lucchi, the focal point lies in the metal structure. Starting from the study of how to bend steel profiles, here bending a square-section of steel tube along a diagonal, the material deforms, curls and sharply creases. This detail generates the intentional and sought-after ‘error’ that is the soul of the project. A Limited Edition version is made with seat
backrest in Alpi Arcobaleno designed by Konstantin Grcic.
Moon | Quadrifoglio Group Designed by Serena Papait following the principles of functional and ergonomic Scandinavian design where all the unloading points are on the knees, this conversation piece consists of a polypropylene monocoque, available in white, beige, shadow grey and olive green. At the support points, the comfortable, soft and non-deformable neoprene inserts facilitate the decompression of weights. www.quadrifoglio.com
Pony | Gumpo Pony is a combination of seat and table that works in both public and private spaces. It can be used intuitively, as you can sit sideways, next to, or directly behind the table so that it can be used either as a side table or as a small desk. The round plate can be rotated eccentrically, making position and distance easily adjustable. Easily movable on castors and an outer shell made of plywood, the selected fabrics are made entirely from recycled plastic waste. www.gumpo.de
Bound | Kusch+Co A soft seating collection designed by Canadian prodigal son Karim Rashid includes an armchair, sofa, and table all featuring his trademark minimalist style meant to “evoke emotion and create memorable spaces that draw people in,” as he says. www.kusch.com
Parkour | Werner Works Offering users a protected space, providing both acoustic and visual privacy within open-plan offices, these booths support various modern communication styles, while serving as visual focal points. Werner Works has expanded the collection with new features: a wardrobe element and end unit elements including a coffee station, tall table and plant station. www.werner-works.de
Elite | Core Chair Boasting a pelvic stabilizer, highly sculpted seat cushion, patented movement technology, and now a new upper-back support, task chair comfort has been taken to new heights. Canadian designer Tonia DeBellis worked with German engineer Simon Schoßböck to create the Smart-Spine, which allows for a flexible upper backrest to extend ergonomic support for the user while resting back, without interfering with the body’s natural movement. https://corechair.com/
Enfold Table | Mizetto This multi-purpose system is a creative take on the dinner or conference table, turned into a playful workspace with different colourful attachments that each person can use to adjust into a personal space, such as a hanging shelf, a sliding sound absorber, and a set of trays connected to a frame. They come in a palette of burgundy, latte, forest green, dusty blue and black. www.mizetto.se
York | Steelbox Designed by Roberto Molteni and picking up a 2024 Red Dot Product Design award, this desk combines minimalism, high-quality performance, environmental sustainability, and versatility. Available in a variety of colours, including a coffee colour finish called “soft-touch,” the traditional perception of cold metal upon contact is eliminated using nanotechnology that replicates ambient temperature, ensuring a pleasant and welcoming surface to the touch. www.steelbox.it
By Evan Pavka
Teeing Up for All Seasons
How two private golf clubs are redesigning and leveraging their assets to stay in play year-round.
For many golf and country clubs across Canada, the biggest asset and draw is also the most volatile: the outdoors. The typical golf season runs from early spring to early fall, leaving the remaining six months largely unusable as the climate changes, temperatures drop, leaves fall, mountains of snow pile up and a portfolio of buildings require ongoing maintenance. This continual ebb and flow of seasons has spurred an emerging fiscal and expe-
riential need for courses to reimagine existing assets from the inside out, making interior spaces a priority on equal footing with landscaping in retaining and expanding membership.
“Design is top of mind,” explains designer Keri MacLellan. “It isn’t something they think about after. They prioritize interiors and then the overall experience for guests.” MacLellan is referring to
Previous page and above Longridge Partners Inc. maintains two dedicated stay-and-play cottages. Longridge House (above) and Brushview (opposite page), both with interior refits and furnishing by Westgrove, for members and guests of The Pulpit Club to enjoy the Caledon countryside. The three-bedroom Longridge House emanates log cabin style with a wood burning fireplace and hot tub. Directly connected to the highly rated The Paintbrush course, Brushview is a contemporary five bedroom, eight bed home on 2.5 acres.
her Toronto-based studio Westgrove’s ongoing work with investment company Longridge Partners Inc.’s 477-acre Pulpit Club, one of several private courses departing from the aesthetic and formal conventions of members-only clubs to strategically leverage hospitality-inspired amenities catered toward longtime clients and new guest; together, extending the curated qualities of their seasonal offerings year-round.
When longtime friend and Longridge CEO Mack Crawford approached MacLellan with a plan to renovate a 14,000 square foot former residence in the rural municipality of Caledon, Ont., an hour northwest of Toronto, she jumped at the opportunity to radically
transform the palatial heritage property into a boutique hospitality experience for visitors interested in a round of golf and a luxurious stay. Following this successful start to their professional relationship, Westgrove was enlisted to craft additional offerings for the members of two of Canada’s premiere courses.
The concept was simple. Members were already passionate outdoor enthusiasts, even outside the golf season. While the existing courses — the top-rated Pulpit and Paintbrush along the Niagara Escarpment — and subsequent amenities expertly catered to members and one-time visitors during the warmer months, why not find a way to provide the same level of experience year-round? Chris Fry
Rather than short-term rentals in the main clubhouse, Longridge pursued turning two available residential properties in its holdings into “stay-and-play cottages” available during any season. Eliminating the need for their customers to source nearby residences through services such as Airbnb, this strategic move would not only set the course apart from other clubs but strengthen their own connection with members. This could also potentially cultivate a new generation of loyal guests interested in the bucolic environment, walking trails and more.
According to the designer, the idea was to “break away from the traditional mould of staying in place” or on the premises and, instead, create the “feeling of being at home” in a space “designed to their needs.” With both properties on the overall 1,000-acre Pulpit Ridge plot in working order, “we didn’t want to renovate,” she explains, “we wanted to enhance.” As such, MacLellan and her team took cues from the existing character of each site, adapting the structures into inviting rentals that could provide an “elevated experience” for members, their friends and families in sun, snow or anything in between.
Nestled on five-and-a-half acres, the three-bedroom log cabin-style Longridge House cottage is anchored by a generous wood-burning stone fireplace accented by warm wood furniture with plush upholstery. Contrasting the grey hues of the exterior, MacLellan leveraged the rich natural tones of the log panelling to create a cozy and convivial ambiance. A generous kitchen, dining area and a sun-soaked sitting room framing a forested clearing beyond round out the shared areas. Above, spacious bedrooms feature local woods paired with muted tones, linens and other textural notes. Alongside regard for the architectural character, the designers also opted to salvage several artifacts from the site as well as vintage objects culled from local markets to preserve the regional pioneer charm. In one final personal touch, a selection of works by emerging Canadian artists lifted from the collection of Longridge chairman and co-founder John Crawford complete the interior. Though only a short two-minute walk to the first tee at Paintbrush, Longridge House’s refitted interior and picturesque setting make it as perfect for a winter retreat as a fall getaway.
Boasting five bedrooms, the nearby bungalow dubbed Brushview required an entirely different approach. The 5,000 square foot, 1970s build came with its own family-oriented, mid-century identity that required both reverence and retooling as a bespoke hospitality experience. Now, painted brick, crisp tones, oversized fixtures, decorative lighting and furnishings from Canadian manufacturer Sundays define the open plan, replete with a mix of lounge and living areas throughout. An added games room, open kitchen and mix of outdoor areas looking onto the 2.5-acre property add flexibility and adaptability for families of various sizes and interests.
In a novel design and business endeavour that has paved the way for future developments, these stay-and-play cottages tap into the existing and future needs of Longridge’s customer base, effortlessly complimenting the central draw of their courses. “As a company, they are really thoughtful about their members and about the experiences that they are creating,” says MacLellan.
At the 45-hole Glencoe Golf and Country Club along the shores of the Elbow River in Alberta, tailored-made experiences and environments were similarly crucial to a recent refurbishment. Having served Calgary’s golf community for nearly four decades, many of its amenities were unsurprisingly dated. After a highly successful multi-million-dollar renovation to a trio of food and beverage offerings in the private sports club’s original downtown outpost, the board of directors looked once again to local practice FRANK Architecture & Interiors to elevate its amenities.
According to principal Kristen Lien, the off-the-self furnishings and generic carpet of the former clubhouse “didn’t have a lot of connection to Glencoe and its roots.” For both the club and the
designers, the intention was a far more modern and forward-looking presence. Across 11,500 square feet, Lien and her studio redeveloped the reception, family spaces and Westmoor pub to compete with the top bars and restaurants across the city. As clients often use the clubhouse for business and entertaining as well as personal enjoyment, “they wanted members to feel like they could gather and host in the space to make it a home away from home,” she adds.
Taking cues from the original ceiling beams and the institution’s past, a custom tartan carpet riffing on traditional golf garb lines the interior. Heavy bespoke furnishings in the main entrance ground the scheme while grand made-to-order chandeliers, comprised of a ring of glowing orbs, and retrofitted lighting scheme accent the timber structure above. Additional refined gestures, such as the dark wood cladding and details in the reception effortlessly transitioning into linear pale wood elements in the bar, enliven a space often considered solely as an amenity rather than a profit centre. A bevy of strategically organized seating areas fitted with low-slung, upholstered furnishings provide a contemporary take on established private clubs while creating distinct zones for guests to linger, rest or entertain. “It really has proven itself,” she attests, “food and beverage sales have increased, and they have received a lot of positive reviews.”
In the end, the sartorial renovation deepened Glencoe’s connection to its past while reimagining critical offerings that could “extend the life of the club” and “expand the length of its offerings, encouraging people to entertain guests” across seasons. “The interesting and fun thing about designing for private clubs,” Lien reflects, “is that they don’t want to forget the history of their membership.” With the overhaul, Glencoe “wanted to give a nod to this history and the families who have been long-time contributing members,” she adds, while “also understanding that there is a new generation who are coming and expect a high level of hospitality to host guests and do business.”
From Caledon to Calgary and from cottages to clubhouses, these targeted spaces by Westgrove and FRANK are indicative of organizations that “see value in investing in a capital asset to encourage strong membership usage and provide members with something they are proud of,” says Lien. Here, hospitality-inspired environments are as integral to the overall experience as manicured greens and groomed fairways. In these strategic partnerships between business and design, clubs have uncovered untapped revenue streams able to alleviate net losses in areas typically considered secondary, all while fostering new engagement and deepening ties with existing members. Some might call these innovative approaches a hole-in-one.
This spread The main clubhouse at Glencoe Golf Club serves as the central drop-off, administrative hub, and access point to the food and beverage spaces. Originally built in the 1980s, the clubhouse boasts vaulted ceilings with large wood trusses and offers panoramic views of the main course. Custom-designed plaid carpet throughout the building pays homage to historical golf attire, while the layout of the cozy, customdesigned furniture maximizes visual connections to the course.
By Peter Sobchak
Full-Court Press
From LED walls to high-tech dining, MLSE’s $350-million revamp of Scotiabank Arena aims to elevate the fan experience.
When people go to see a game, they’re going for the game. Additional attractions and amusements operating on the periphery can be enjoyable add-ons, but the experience of witnessing a great goal or bodycheck is what the screaming crowds came for. Not to stare at the back of someone’s head while standing in line for food, drinks or the bathroom.
The growing emphasis on “experience” within the built environment reflects evolving consumer expectations, and the response to those expectations is being seen across the hospitality spectrum, including complicated mega-venues. Already deep into a $350-million multi-phased Reimagination project aimed at turning Scotiabank
Opposite page Gate 1, which has expanded its footprint to accelerate fan entry, is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling LED screens that can be emit content specific to whichever team or artist is performing that night. Smartglass in the MNP Pass Social Club gives members a view of players taking the ice or court while dining. Above left The Hot Stove restaurant underwent a complete remodel and includes accents paying homage to its history. Above right A second and larger Real Sports Apparel retail store has been added. Rotating walls and digital signage are designed to transition from event to event, however the ceiling lighting feature is permanent and was designed in the dimensions of a hockey rink.
Arena in downtown Toronto into the top-ranked live events venue that owners Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) think it should be, the first part of Phase 2 was opened in early October just in time for the start of the 2024-2025 hockey and basketball season.
For the average attendee, those experiences that MLSE want to manage and enhance begin from the moment they step into the main 100 Level concourse. Here, first impressions are made using screens and atmosphere-changing digital beacons, in particular at Gate 1, which has expanded its footprint for easier fan entry and is decked out in floor-to-ceiling LG Direct View (DV) LED screens. “Through design, we were able to create a grander spatial experience with more impact and wow factor,” says Anwar Mekhayech, co-founder of Toronto-based DesignAgency, part of a large collaboration overseeing the Reimagination project that includes Brisbin, Brook, Beynon Architects, CAA ICON and construction manager PCL Construction. “Our goal was to create a connection to the City of Toronto through materiality, art and digital content. This was the mandate from MLSE and their belief in design and technology to enhance the overall spectacle for events.”
Throughout the arena, digital signage has been bolstered with more than 70 million pixels of high-resolution LED displays and more than 400 new ultra-high-definition digital displays added by the end of Phase 2, provided by LG Electronics. “All design-led digital tech and lighting was created to add excitement and movement to the space. MLSE can ignite the experience and make it team- or artist-specific simply by changing the display,” says Mekhayech. “In addition to digital technology, we wanted to have moments for permanent art. One of my favourite aspects of the project was working with Toronto artist Michael Awad to create a ceiling map of the city that also becomes back-lit panels for all the gates.”
First impressions count, but lasting impressions may be most acutely made in the new retail, food and beverage stands, and it is here that much of the new technology used in the backbone of the concourse remodel will be experienced, to both the approval and annoyance of many, to be sure. From the concourse to the arena bowl, technology upgrades have transformed eight kiosks into grab-and-go style markets in a “frictionless” (another word for “cash-free”) zone to try and have fans spend more time enjoying the action than waiting in lines. Expanded self-serve functions include more concession stands using Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology and new contactless RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) checkouts at retail locations (see sidebar next page).
Not all experiences are equal, obviously. Throughout the Reimagination project, another integral part of the fan experience is access (or the illusion of access) to premium spaces. This part of Phase 2 includes the introduction of the MNP Pass Social Club; and a remodelling of Hot Stove restaurant (first introduced at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1963). The former is a reconfiguration of Event Level suites into a 7,350-sq.-ft. dining area bisected by home team and visitor’s walkout tunnels, so members can get up-close views of players entering the bowl from the locker rooms.
Future phases of the plan will include enhancements to back-ofhouse artist and athlete areas as well as additional fan-facing spaces including the completion of the 100 Level concourse, remodelling the Molson Brewhouse, upgrades to the open-concept broadcast studio at Gate 6 and more. “Arena design and redesign is super-complex, and we’ve learned a lot,” says Mekhayech. “Our goal was to bring our hospitality design experience to the mix and really collaborate and add value through design. We are now working on a lot more with Phase 3 and the commitment to design by MLSE is strong.”
Just Walk Out
Of all the concession stand improvements scattered throughout the Reimagination project, the ones using Amazon’s Just Walk Out Technology will likely be the most intriguing and, frankly, intimidating. Leveraging generative AI, including computer vision, machine learning, as well as sensor fusion, Just Walk Out enables shoppers to grab what they want and leave the kiosk. To enter, visitors tap their credit card at the entry gate, where the technology associates the shopper with their payment instrument, and detects the items taken from or returned to the shelves, creating a virtual shopping session. When done, they simply leave, and their card will be charged for the items they take with them.
“Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology was easy to incorporate into the design and actually saved us space to give back to the flow and enjoyment of the arena,” says Anwar Mekhayech of Torontobased DesignAgency. “It had been tested and prototyped the year prior and was easy to integrate into the look, feel and rollout throughout the phases.”
Integrating into the design is one thing, but integrating into people’s comfort levels is another. Watching an Arena marketplace during a live game (feeling a bit like early Sir David Attenborough) shows that like the introduction of any new technology, there are those who are primed for it and those who are not. “I think once people use it and get used to this technology, then it will easily become the norm,” says Mekhayech. “For some basic offerings I think it’s great because it is efficient and fast. We are exploring integrating it into other aspects of hospitality design. But I do think there needs to be a balance between having automation and some staff, because a big part of the experience should also be human interaction.”
That staff interaction is in place, and clearly needed. Four Arena crew work a kiosk to explain to people how to get in, make purchases, get a receipt if they want one (scan a QR code on the wall), and promise that they are not being video recorded. And there are still hiccups: the system does not accept AmEx or Debit (but will over the next 12 months); and staff are still needed to check ID’s for beer purchases and open them (unopened containers cannot be carried in the concourse, as per MLSE rules).
Just Walk Out technology is available in more than 180 thirdparty locations in the U.S., U.K. and Australia, with new locations launching every week. In Canada, it was introduced first at Amazon’s Toronto Tech Hub office at 120 Bremner Boulevard before being deployed elsewhere including Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Toronto Pearson International Airport and Scotiabank Arena, where the results are promising: based on the first 18 Maple Leaf and 13 Raptor games of this season, revenue is up 8.2 per cent compared to a similar location last season, and above the projected business case, according to MLSE.
The Just Walk Out store was first deployed at Amazon’s Toronto Tech Hub for its 3,500 employees (top) before being integrated into Phase 2 of the 100 Level concourse at Scotiabank Arena (above)
By Evan Pavka
From Stodgy to Sleek
Traditional law office aesthetics are giving way to designs that prioritize inclusivity, transparency, and adaptability, as seen in these projects in Toronto and Edmonton.
From leather armchairs and dense wood panelling to prized corner offices and a hazy atmosphere ladened with cigar smoke, there’s a far too common vision of law firms: opaque, outmoded and entrenched in the ingrained hierarchies of the legal profession. However, a series of projects across the country are actively reforming this image, turning emerging corporate priorities of inclusivity, openness and access into tailored workplaces dynamically adapting to hybrid schedules, patterns of work, employee needs and perhaps even the field itself.
When not moonlighting as the set for the TV drama Suits, Toronto’s Bay Adelaide Centre shelters an array of real-life law practices. As of spring 2023, this now includes leading firm Cassels Brock &
Blackwell Inc. By 2019, the 520-strong practice had outgrown its former home of some 30 years in the nearby Scotiabank Plaza, where an outdated 1990s retrofit no longer reflected the firm’s ethos aesthetically or conceptually. Cigarette-tinted beige walls, opaque wood office doors, six-foot-tall enclosures on workstations and a rigid layout making little use of internal space were in direct opposition to their progressive image targeted at clients and employees alike. The cumulative result was a ghost town where co-workers rarely encountered one another and transitioning associates to partners was nearly impossible.
To develop the sprawling 130,000-sq.-ft. outpost more suited to their shifting identity, Cassels tapped the local arm of global prac-
Above Cassels had felt trapped in its old office due to rigid walls and a two-size office model. Now, flexibility and functionality are an integral component in the design of its new 130,000 square foot Toronto headquarters.
tice Gensler. “They wanted something that uplifts,” says Matthew Kobylar, principal and Studio Director of the firm’s Toronto office, “to really change perceptions in the marketplace as well as help them with recruitment and retention.” With a host of amenities for employees and guests alongside luminous, collaborative areas spanning five floors, Cassels corporate hub now does just that. “It was about reframing how they wanted to appear to their clients and employees,” he adds.
Upon entry, an airy reception carries the deep indigo hues of the company’s recent rebranding along walls and millwork elements while the triangular forms defining their logo are lifted to inspire motifs on wooden screens, custom wall panelling and a graphic geometric ceiling detail anchoring the area. To maximize flexibility, openness and transparency elsewhere, Kobylar and his team took a modular “kit of parts” approach. “You can almost think of the floor plan like an egg carton,” he explains. “You can put eggs in them, but also combine them.” Connected to a custom ceiling grid that skirts the need to constantly adjust mechanical and lighting, this system meant that sections of the network could serve as open workstations while being easily reconfigured as shared offices, meeting rooms, war rooms and more. To achieve the “neighbourhood” configuration, circulation was relocated to the perimeter and offices were moved inwards. The egalitarian “promenade” along the entire glazed perimeter with secondary routes within means that all employees, not just partners, have access to daylight and panoramic views of downtown Toronto.
The inclusion of a mother’s room, family area for working parents and religious observance space complement a generous 4,500-sq.-ft. wellness center further reflect a corporate culture concerned with emergent employee needs. “This idea of wellness was really something they had us permeate throughout the entire space,” he adds. Whether polished frames on soaring glass walls that reflect the natural illumination from perimeter windows or the lowered 42-inch-tall workstations providing long vistas across the floor plate, Gensler’s design entirely eschewed the dark, divided qualities that previously defined Cassels’s workplace and subsequent image.
Indicative of this departure is the adaptable client lounge. Nestled on a corner spot near the larger entrainment spaces on the conference floor, Kobylar pitched a modern take on a more traditional partner-only space. Instead of private, this collective amenity could do double, if not triple, duty caring for both staff and clients. Riffing on a first-class business lounge, there would be room for guests to rest, work, eat and catch up following their meetings. When not hosting clients, lawyers could leverage the area to connect, network and cross businesses within the firm. It’s a place meant to foster inclusivity and “build those connections,” he says. Since taking occupancy, weekly social hours and more convivial activities among a variety of employees continually animate the space.
In Edmonton, another prominent legal practice faced similar challenges. A decade-old renovation was diametrically opposed to Bennett Jones’s current position as one of Canada’s preeminent business law firms. “With new technology, a new generation and growth into a tier one practice, they wanted to reflect that in their
This page Cassels offices are pulled inboard, off the perimeter glass, creating a “promenade” at the window. The new model not only increases the amount of lawyer offices on the floor by 20 per cent, it also creates a cluster of team neighbourhoods, reducing silos and fostering better connection between lawyers and teams, and allowing for greater equity and access to natural light throughout the workplace.
James Brittain
new office,” explains Nikoo Najafi, an associate at Kasian Architecture, Interior Design and Planning who spearheaded the design of over 40,000 square feet across two floors in the prairie metropolis’s landmark Stantec Tower.
Following a collaborative visioning session with various members of the firm, “welcoming, clean, modern and timeless” emerged as essential directives. This informed the distinct hospitality-inspired character: traditional heavy wood elements paired with muted tiles, richly veined stone, fritted glass, warm metallic accents and the exposed concrete columns of the base building accented by
jewel-toned furnishing to evoke the expansive Alberta landscape. Further departing from the conventional lawyers’ lounge and the status quo it represents, Najafi and her team conceived an elegant multi-functional commons as a defining feature of the 14th-floor client centre. A selection of informal seating areas, tables and a bar are grounded by a grand mist fireplace imparting a welcoming atmosphere where staff feel at home with their colleagues as well as with guests who similarly require space to work, relax and commingle. These features complement integrated nooks near the cafe and collaboration zones on both floors to offer employees and clients alike a bevy of options.
Together, Cassels and Bennett Jones’s contemporary rebrands reflect “a big shift in the legal industry” with more “inclusive firms desiring hybrid workplaces,” according to Najafi, “implementing and accepting what the future needs.” Forgoing tradition and established conventions, places of collaboration are privileged for all those supporting the field. While designers rarely make the law, these corporate interiors may provide room to consider how commitments to transparency, equity and connection by leading voices in the industry may similarly reform professional spaces.
This page Bennett Jones’ new Edmonton office reflects an approach of “understated luxury,” for example a reception desk with book-matched slabs, and a multi-functional lounge divided by a mist fireplace and crowned with a television encased in a luxurious golden mesh frame. Finishes such as porcelain slabs on the walls were chosen over options like marble or quartz.
By Evan Pavka
Amazon and B+H wrest Vancouver’s mid-century modern postal fortress into the 21st century
Stand at the corner of Vancouver’s W. Georgia and Homer streets and one’s field of vision is filled by the former 1958 Main Post Office building. Spanning an entire city block between Homer, Hamilton, W. Georgia, and Dunsmuir streets and designed by McCarter Nairne & Partners, it was, at one time, the largest welded steel structure in the world.
However, when Canada Post cleared out in 2015 (after putting the building up for sale in 2012) there wasn’t much reason for the average person to interact with the massive structure, despite its rhythmic, mid-century modern countenance of concrete and terracotta or its well-earned landmark status. It was, essentially, a handsome black hole in the streetscape. And, for a brief period, west coast heritage-heads collectively worried that it might not survive owner QuadReal Property Group’s redevelopment plans; it’s difficult to make such a behemoth friendly.
So, what to do?
The obvious answer would have been to place a commercial and/or residential tower on top, and a grocery store on the bottom, just like what had been planned for the old Loblaws Groceteria building in Toronto. But what actually happened, says QuadReal vice-president of development Graeme Scott, was somewhat different: “Around July of 2019, Amazon decided to take all 1.1 million square feet [so] we redesigned the north [tower] to look like the south [tower]…we released the design on this lobby to Amazon so they could make it exactly how they saw themselves as the first expression.”
“It creates more like a campus that you would see in the suburban environment, but right in the middle of the city, with all the city amenities,” says architect Mark Thompson, a partner at MCM Architects (Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership). “I think Amazon were
attracted by that combination of campus concentration and focus, but also connection to the community.”
And there is connection: in addition to Amazon’s outreach and community programming, the bricks-and-mortar has changed as well. While the 1958 lobby was also behind a glass curtain wall, there was also an asphalt moat for parking and a series of granite half-walls in front, which further obfuscated how humans were meant to engage with the architecture. Today, however, under a cleaned and repaired mid-century countenance, there are welcoming steps and terraced planters replacing that moat, an obvious entrance to Amazon, and so many other points of entry along Homer Street that clarity is no longer a concern.
Working with B+H Architects for the interiors, Amazon’s new two-storey lobby sparkles. From the street, the visitor is drawn, moth-to-flame, by tall, scallop-edged window benches that suggest perforations on an
This spread Designed by B+H Architects, the open-plan, light-filled atrium features new collaboration spaces for Amazon employees, including a café, event venue, break-out areas, and meeting rooms connecting a 21-floor South Tower and 22-floor North Tower.
old-fashioned postage stamp. Behind a rippling, wooden reception desk is a tall blue column featuring the company’s smile logo and above it hangs a sculptural, bright orange light fixture, a customized version of Lambert & Fil’s “Laurent Atelier” by B+H and ThinkL Studio. These moves, says Kathryn Clews, also help soften the very real security gates through which employees and visitors must pass. “The design concept for the lobby itself was the postage stamp,” confirms the Seattle-based architect with B+H. “And some of the intaglio printing press idea…all of those little motifs you see in the design and the wall coverings that were designed specifically…to bring people into the space and pay homage to building and its history.”
Thankfully, QuadReal’s commitment to history went beyond just a good façade-scrub, vis-à-vis the addition of seismic protection along with restoration of the building’s art and carvings (a bas-relief postman and tile mural of a woman and child by Paul Huba are particularly striking).
Jaw-Dropping Atrium
While the reception area is warm and welcoming, Amazon’s eighth floor is where jaws will drop. In September 2024, “The Atrium,” situated on the roof of the old building, was unveiled to the public. With
43,000 square feet under a 22-foot-high ceiling of glass, it was enough to cause Vancouver mayor Ken Sim to “go off script” and “get really geeky on Amazon” during his opening day speech, while also confessing that he’s been a shareholder since the early 2000s. “It’s absolutely amazing,” gushed the 54-year-old mayor. “Really, really cool; basketball court, dog park…thank you for investing in our community.”
With large light-wells to rain photons down to the seventh floor and staircases to bring employees up (and then up again to the ninth), a grab-and-go food market and an event space, it is also filled with kinetic energy. The height and interconnectedness also allowed Indiewalls Inc., out of Brooklyn, N.Y., to work with B+H on large art installations. Most striking is Unbound, 5,000 hanging ceramic pieces that mimic delicate squares of white paper — look closely and typewriter-style letters are debossed into some — peppered with red, origami-style forms. Designed by Victoria-based artist Samantha Dickie, the installation helps pull light down into the space. At the other end hangs an equally impressive, diaphanous red metal piece by Egyptian-born, Vancouver-based Marie Khouri.
To add elements of heritage, B+H’s Experiential Graphic Design team covered walls with blow-ups of vintage stamps and Canadiana. However, the “pièce de résistance,” says Clews, is the wall filled with post office box doors against tiles that recall the exterior’s terracotta. As an “Easter egg,” one door opens to reveal a real, and very small, vin-
tage stamp. “We were given the opportunity to earmark some of the heritage items that [QuadReal wasn’t] intending to find a reuse for in the building, and those mailboxes were one of them, and there were hundreds…so we selected all the different sizes that we wanted and thought about how we could integrate them.”
Another mail-inspired feature occurs in each elevator lobby. Here, reproductions of vintage, brass mail chutes have been updated for the 21st century: “They have a series of blue, digital lights that go up and down,” says Clews with a smile. “They’re set on timers so that the intensity of the light increases when there would be more activity in the building, or, potentially, more people that would be posting mail.” Fitting for a modern-day mail order company.
Take Your Dog to Work Day…Everyday
Although tech companies were already changing the rules with adult playgrounds and napping rooms, COVID-19 was a Zoom-and-pajamasclad wake-up call. Spending time with one’s dog was no longer a luxury.
This spread In a nod to the building’s history as Vancouver’s Main Post Office, individual mailbox doors that date back to the building’s 1960s origin were integrated. As a hidden Easter egg, one of the mailbox doors can be opened to reveal the first postage stamp from Vancouver to Seattle, used for the first mail run with 50 letters. Amazon is the sole corporate tenant, with its 1.1 million square feet of office space, and completed its movein to the South Tower (shown), while the North Tower is on track to open in 2026.
“We have a program at Amazon called ‘Dogs at Work,’” says Kristin Gable, senior manager of corporate communications. “Dogs are not allowed in the café, so you’ll see a couple of examples of where we have ‘Pooch Parking’ where you can leave your dog and do your business.”
So that fur babies don’t have to ride the elevator down to street-level to do their business, Amazon has installed two dog parks: one on the roof of the old postal building between the two towers near the full basketball court, and the other 21-storeys in the air atop the south tower. Fake fire hydrants and a complex drainage system keep both building maintenance people and canines happy.
Top left Rounded arches evoke an old tunnel that once connected the building to the port. Left Amazon’s “Dogs at Work” program allows eligible employees to bring their dogs to work in a safe and comfortable environment, including relief areas and puppy parking stations. Above The Post’s original architecture was restored as part of an ambitious heritage redevelopment by property developer and manager QuadReal Property Group and MCM Architects, including the exterior’s original cast aluminum federal emblems and blue and red terracotta tiles.
Mid-Century Inspired Curves
Wayfinding on office floors in the south tower (the north is not yet occupied) is achieved through graphics, furniture colours and “crafts” says Clews. “We had three different crafts that were the concepts for the floors that layered as they went up—ink, fiber, and glass—and we specifically selected those and the materials associated with those.” For example, Vancouver artist Adriele Au’s swirls of colourful crepe paper and wood, “Puddluv,” is installed on a fiber floor, and the legs on the kitchenette island feature a rope design.
Curved ceilings in each elevator corridor and reoccurring curves in millwork are meant to recall the once-secret, 732-metre underground tunnel that stretched from Waterfront Station to the building, where sacks of mail would whizz along on conveyor belts. In use for less than a decade, when mail began arriving by truck rather than train, it was filled in due to safety concerns.
Soft furnishings also take their inspiration from the mid-century period. Couches resemble Mario Bellini’s famous 1970 Camaleonda sofa; much of the custom lighting plays with the Swedish ball or metal desk lamp archetype; and meeting room chairs and tables look more like Danish modern dining sets. There are diner-style banquettes near food areas and, on every floor, cozy two-seater booths upholstered in jewel tones that are “thoughtfully designed” with “really high backs” to envelop users and encourage conversation, says Clews.
And speaking of conversation, B+H called upon their acoustical design consultant to place mechanical units away from those spaces and used drop ceilings to create moments of intimacy. “I always think of Chipotle,” laughs Clews. “I go in those places and they have hard surfaces everywhere and it feels so chaotic, there’s nothing calming about that experience.”
To gently wrest the massive building (which Thompson describes as “a fortress”) away from the ghosts of thousands of postal employees and into the hands of the current (and very much alive) 4,500 Amazonians was a big job. Clews says the spec book for furniture alone was over 300 pages. “It’s a unique challenge working on that scale and not making things feel repetitive,” she says. “It was really about picking and choosing the moments where we wanted to highlight something unique and then not spinning our wheels in other zones where it’s not going to have the same impact.”
Walking through, there are indeed moments of impact, moments to reflect on art, moments of light-filled grandiosity, and moments of deep colour, quiet, and calm. Outside, the building’s red and blue terracotta features shine once again along with the twin, 5.8-metre, cast-aluminum Arms of Canada. “We’ve honoured the building and we’d like to think we’ve reset [it] for another 50 years,” says QuadReal’s Graeme Scott.
“Vancouver is a very young city,” finishes Thompson. “So, expanding the idea of heritage into mid-century modern buildings, it seems pretty essential if we want to keep what we have, because we don’t have much.”
By David Lasker
OVER & OUT
Klaus Nienkämper
The best of “The Best of the Best of Canada”
Nienkämper Furniture Inc. president and founder, Klaus Nienkämper, was the public figure journalists would tum to for an insider quote. He was the unofficial public face of the industry, perhaps because Nienkämper always hosted the smartest launch parties. “We had a big responsibility because we were always looked at as bigger than we were,” said Nienkämper in his booming basso voice in an interview. “We always wanted to do the right thing. We weren’t too concerned about ending up with a profit on the balance sheet.”
Part of the charm of a Nienkämper party was the showroom itself, the three-story red-brick Georgian house on King Street East with stone lintels, massive chimneys, and a Nienkämper wordmark supergraphic sprawling across the exterior. Like so much else about Nienkämper, it was precedent-setting: A lonely outpost in a grimy part of town when it opened in 1968, it quickly became the hub of a burgeoning design district. “There are more efficient places to show furniture, but that building is so much a part of our image,” Klaus said.
Then there was the lure of schmoozing with Klaus and his wife, Beatrix, who headed Nienkämper Accessories. Tall, handsome, and speaking English with a sophisticated-sounding German accent, they
were often joined by their children Ottilie, Rebecca and Klaus Jr., who also work in the family business. Together, they were the industry’s own glamorous Kennedy clan.
In my feature story The Best of the Best of Canada in the 2017 issue of Canadian Interiors celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Best of Canada Awards, I wrote that numerous worthy chairs, lamps, desks and other furnishings have won the Best Product Award, but only one, Nienkämper’s Vox videoconference table, rose to the level of industry game-changer, on par with Ford’s 1908 Model T. In 1998, Nienkämper created its own market niche: wood conference tables that unobtrusively accommodate wire cabling. Vox tables came pre-wired and arrive ready to plug in and use.
At Klaus’s 2018 book signing, Stella McTernan, of her eponymous interior design firm, reminisced about her days as a junior designer at Rice Brydone while specifying furniture for PetroCan headquarters in Calgary (now the Suncor Centre), completed in 1984. “The client asked why so much furniture was being ordered from just one firm, a Toronto company called Nienkämper,” McTernan recalled. She replied, “Because they make the best furniture — and they still do.”
