Oxford Properties 10th Floor Space Repurposed into a Flexible Turn-Key Office

“District 1” located on the 10th floor of 200 Bay St. was designed by Connect in partnership with The Jesslin Group for construction services and further aligned with New York City based architectural firm BVN for collaborative design and inspiration. As part of a rebranding initiative, Oxford properties presented the team with a challenge to push the boundaries of office design and create a turn-key, innovative, fully furnished workspace for the next generation tenant with a maximum budget of $120.00/sq. ft.

Environmental and wellness initiatives were made a priority. The suite was created with zero drywall construction resulting in near zero construction waste. A biophilic birch tree graphic using digital vertical wall painting In lieu of traditional, waste creating vinyl serves as a vibrant backdrop. Other green initiatives included renewable and acoustical cork wall tiles, zero flooring adhesives, acoustical felt ceiling panels and a Wellness nook including beneficial plants with meditative views aimed towards Toronto’s historic Union Station.

Flip-top and sit-stand workstations maximize the flexibility of the space and end user wellness. Retractable power cords are suspended from the open deck ceiling – a significant cost savings compared to standard core drills. Reconfigurable and stackable platform boxes offer collaborative seating and efficiently tuck into the “v” shaped perimeter. Writable wall paint inspires ad hoc collaboration zones in otherwise unusable areas. The reception desk was made movable and is easily converted to additional meeting or workspace.

The space was transformed into the “The Puzzle”, a 4,968 sq. ft. office suite – duly named for its ability to be easily reconfigured into multiple uses. The challenging chevron style perimeter design of the building was captured and made purposeful in the new space plan. A sustainable system of stand-alone freestanding podiums, reflecting views to the atrium and the outdoors, was added to create more circulation and flex space in lieu of drywall construction.

Oxford Properties was presented with a sustainable, flexible “office of the future” economically built and furnished within an aesthetically beautiful space. The design won the Workplace Innovation Challenge sponsored By Oxford.