Background

Since 1910, Hitachi has been a leader in manufacturing innovative products and solutions that support industry and social infrastructure around the globe. Their Toronto office was designed by SGH Design Partners and featured Envirotech’s signature ‘blended’ solution of new and refurbished office furniture throughout the workplace. Atena Nejad, Team Leader at SGH, gave insights into her vision behind the design and why she chose to work with Envirotech.

What was your design intent / or vision behind the space ?

We focused a lot on branding and their logo specifically. We looked at a number of ways to incorporate their company’s Japanese history in to the space through branding elements. Opening up the window area for more access to light also provided opportunities for pops of colour and branding to spill through the space.

Why did you first approach Envirotech to assist you with your project ? 

Knowing that budget was a key factor we felt that Envirotech could provide quality products that were both price conscious and met the design aesthetic we were looking for.

What key qualities / characteristics were important to you in the space ? (open / collaborative… privacy / acoustic issues etc?)

The main driver for the replan was to open of the overall workstation area as well as the kitchen space which was closed off previously. By taking down the walls and merging the kitchen and workstation area we were able to create a more collaborative space between the employess.

How was your experience working with Envirotech? Would you recommend us for future projects?

Wonderful as always. I specifically appreciated the presentation package that was provided at the design stage. It gave both the designer and client visuals on what was being discussed and purchased.

Square, Inc. is a financial services, merchant services aggregator, and mobile payment company based in San Francisco, California. Noushin Rezaei, Office Manager at Square Up Toronto, sat down and gave some insights into her experience working with Envirotech and her inspiration behind their very ‘Canadian’ Moss Wall. What was your inspiration behind the design? What were you hoping to achieve? My inspiration comes from the work being done by the Canada Business team who works out of the space where the installation is mounted. While the team is small, they cover Square’s operations nationally to meet the needs of Canadian small business owners from coast to coast. Why is a connection to nature important in your office? Nature can be inspiring by providing balance. For many people, the ability to get away to nature from their day-to-day city hustle and bustle lifestyles provides welcome stability. What has been the feedback so far from your colleagues? It has been described in many ways: bold, unique, smells funny, smells great, inspiring, looks like it’s alive, soft, and detailed. By the time I got to the office the day after installation, my colleagues were already instagramming it! How was your experience working with Envirotech? Would you recommend us for future projects? My experience with Envirotech was great. The design process went smoothly. Andy captured all the required details and came back to us with the exact design I had described. Most importantly, Envirotech wasn’t just creative, but also professional insofar as that the installation was done on time. We will use Envirotech for future projects.

Background

Catalyst 137 is a 475,000 sq ft incubator space built for makers. The building is a concentration point for the talent, hardware engineering services and venture capital support that will build the next generation of IoT companies.

Challenge

Adah Noelting, owner and principle of DFY Studio, wanted to make the lobby entrance of Catalyst spectacular. Inspired by nature, Adah wanted to create a piece of art using preserved mossart.

Solution

Adah’s unique green wall features hexagon moss pieces that blend elements of nature and art into one-of- a-kind design.

Background

TaylorMade is one of the leading manufacturers of golf clubs, bags and accessories in the world. Their new office, designed by Ware Malcomb, features a stunning moss wall design and modern office furniture solutions provided by Envirotech’s new vender partners.

Background

Klick Health is the world’s largest independent health marketing and commercialization agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. 

Challenge

Klick’s new workspace, designed by Gensler, wanted to achieve a modern office environment with adaptable spaces that allowed for flexibility and movement within the office.

Solution

Envirotech provided a modern office furniture solution including focus pods and collaboration nodes that added to the creativity and employee satisfaction in the workplace.

Background

Passionate about sustainability and wellness, Trane wanted to create an modern office environment that was good for the environment and helped employees thrive within the space.

Challenge

Elysha Ali, Productivity Manager at Trane, stated, “For us, it was so important that we walked the walked. It was so important that we had modern furniture but that we still thought about sustainability, we thought about being green…and Envirotech did that for us”.

Solution

Using Envirotech’s signature blend of new and remanufactured furniture solutions, Trane was able to achieve a workplace environment that allowed their employees to thrive, was cost-effective, and ultimately reduced the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. 

“We saved some money on our budget by getting remanufactured cubicles, but the places that we wanted to highlight and have spaces that everybody uses…we spent a little bit more money. We would be able to procure all the fancy things we wanted if we were able to cut costs somewhere along the way. That’s what led us to having some furniture that was remanufactured and other furniture that was custom.” -Elysha Ali

Background

Infrastructure Interior Design used Envirotech for Integral Group’s Toronto office –  the first FitWel certified office in Canada!

Challenge

Integral Group had its sights set on certifying it’s new Toronto office as the first FitWel office in Canada. FitWel is a cost-effective, high-impact building certification standard that optimizes building occupant health and productivity through targeted improvements to workplace design and policies. Faced with a limited budget, Integral needed furniture that was high-quality, cost-effective and aligned with FitWel’s healthy workplace philosophy.

Solution

Integral used Envirotech’s signature blended solution of new and remanufactured furniture to achieve a healthy, happy and productive workplace.

Background

Straticom Planning Associates used Envirotech to design a unique space at 160 Bloor Street East for a well-known non-profit organization. The 4,870 square foot space was designed to convey a modern and fresh vibe, and to help the organization attract and retain employees.

Challenge

The project had a restricted budget, and the client needed to create an environment that captured its new brand but also had a collaborative and modern design. Michael Serino, the project leader stated: “The vision was to create a space that was inviting and honest, using simple materials with high impact and contrast. Because this company is a non-profit organization, finding a balance in cost and spending resources where we would get the most impact, creating a comfortable and functional space was our challenge”

Solution

Using Envirotech’s blended solution of remanufactured and new furniture, the client was able to achieve a modern, collaborative and hip workspace while staying within their budget.

Background

AIRDO launched its ROI: Renew-Originate-Implement initiative in 2013. Its objective is to help an organization or charity through improvements to the interior environments where the people of Ontario receive essential services and support. SKETCH is an organization that creates opportunities for homeless and street-involved young people (ages 16 to 29). Through the transformative power of the arts, SKETCH helps their clients to foster leadership and economic self-sufficiency. This, in turn, cultivates social and environmental change. SKETCH is the focus of AIRDO’s 2016 ROI initiative.

Challenge

The challenge given to AIRDO was to improve and refresh SKETCH’s admin hub.

Solution

A barrier free space that emphasizes light and ease of movement. The open concept with hot desks embraces modernity and emphasizes open communication and collaboration. Envirotech donated 25 Vitra Meda chairs, an investment worth over $10,000. The Vitra Medas are renowned for their elegant use of seating technology. Each chair is fully-adjustable for individual users to enable more activity for back and stomach muscles while seated.

Impact

The SKETCH admin hub communicates openness and acceptance and is free of confinement. It resonates with creativity and artistic sensibility.

Background

MTS Allstream is a business communications provider based in downtown Toronto. They wanted to reconfigure their office space with a fresh new look and modern design to encourage creativity and collaboration.

Challenge

MTS Allstream was looking to modernize their existing workspace by creating a more inviting work environment for employees. MTS wanted to update 177 workstations with a design that would provide privacy while enabling natural sunlight to filter in. The new design also needed to foster group work as well as allow for meeting spaces and private offices while isolating sound. The completed space needed to be open and inviting to employees and customers alike, all while meeting deadlines and budget.

Solution

Envirotech’s design team created a bright new open-floor plan using remanufactured Haworth PREMISE products with 48” high panels. Allstream’s corporate colours were also incorporated for a fresh, clean look. To provide additional workspace, Envirotech suggested creating smaller telephone rooms and un-bookable meeting rooms in the centre of the space, giving employees a choice of workspace to make phone calls, enjoy added privacy or hold meetings without disturbing coworkers.

Impact

Envirotech designed a functional and impactful office space that created the bright, airy look Allstream wanted while maintaining employees’ privacy. Envirotech further exceeded expectations when the revised designs met the limited budget and tight deadlines.

Background

Environmental engineering firm SNC Lavalin moved to a new location in 2010 in order to expand and consolidate their office space.

Challenge

SNC Lavalin needed office furniture to fill in the gaps at their new location as well as closely match existing furniture. In all, they required some 1,195 workstations, 229 suites and 300 file cabinets on 21 floors across 3 buildings. They were looking for a company who could quickly and efficiently set up their new office space while keeping a close eye on the budget and managing all aspects of the move and re-design.

Solution

Envirotech put together a plan that seamlessly blended SNC Lavalin’s existing inventory with remanufactured furniture and workstations, including Herman Miller Aeron and Aside Chairs, file storage solutions, office suites, café furniture, and full boardrooms. The design team carefully matched the colour scheme and organized paint services to ensure all pieces were given a consistent, professional look.

Impact

Envirotech was able to meet the quick lead times to provide a functional work environment that came in on time and on budget. As SNC Lavalin’s office needs expand, they continue to trust Envirotech with the task of meeting their furnishing and design requirements.

Background

Klick Health is the world’s largest independent digital health agency. Since 2008, they have undergone a number of office expansions that required quick turnarounds using high-quality products.

Challenge

In 2014, Klick Health had to quickly expand their office space to accommodate an additional 100 employees. They needed a partner who would not only work within a tight timeline and budget, but could also get the work done over the holiday period so employees would return to a fully functional office in the new year.

Solution

Envirotech set to work immediately, providing expert advice on office layouts and furniture choices and putting together a blend of new and remanufactured products, including seating from Lacasse and Krug, boardroom tables and workstations.

Impact

Envirotech not only delivered as promised, but when construction was completed 4 days ahead of schedule, they doubled their efforts to deliver and install all pieces ahead of schedule. By going above and beyond, Envirotech allowed Klick Health to get their new office up and running ahead of schedule and on budget.

Background

Royal Botanical Gardens is the largest botanical garden in Canada and a National Historic Site.

Challenge

Royal Botanical Gardens wanted to modernize their space and upgrade their old and mismatched furniture to create a more unified and appealing work environment. They were also concerned about meeting sustainability goals and creating a space employees wanted to work in.

Solution

Envirotech used a selection of remanufactured workstations, file cabinets, seating, office furniture, and lighting systems to create an environmentally friendly space that’s both bright and welcoming.

Impact

Envirotech not only managed to complete the project in 4 weeks with an overall savings of 35%, they also met the Royal Botanical Garden’s sustainability goals in the process—avoiding 5,520 lb of landfill, conserving 16,000 lb of raw material and keeping some 14,100 lb of C02 from entering the environment. The new space also promoted staff retention, satisfaction and ease of movement.

Background

Spark44 is a global advertising agency that specializes in luxury automobiles. They wanted to modify their space to reflect their unique company and create a modern, simple and fully functional office interior.

Challenge

Spark44 presented Envirotech with a limited budget and tight deadlines. As an ad agency, they also required a lot of bandwidth as well as a server room, which had to be factored into the refurbishment.

Solution

Envirotech created an open-concept environment without walls or dividers, which allowed the space to fill with natural light. Areas for private meetings and phone calls were added so employees could work without being disturbed. Envirotech also made sure that the office’s exposed masonry was highlighted to add to the unique feel of the agency.

Impact

Envirotech kept the project within budget and delivered on time without delays. The repurposed workstations and seating used were not only cost-effective but also the perfect fit for the modern agency, helping to create an environment conducive to collaboration and the creation of ideas.