The challenge for Deloitte’s regional office in Burlington Ontario was to design a high-tech hub and physical manifestation of the firm's mission, brand, culture and community to attract new clients and new talent alike, that would complement, rather than compete with Deloitte's flagship headquarters in downtown Toronto.
Creating an authentic experience
The ambition for Deloitte Burlington was to create an inviting and authentic space and a meaningful expression of the firm's culture and values, delivering a unique 'Deloitte' experience for clients and new talent. The new office has spaces to engage, collaborate and innovate and is intended to support a wide variety of work spaces, with integrated sophisticated technology to embrace all different ways of working, while enabling creativity and driving innovation.
Connecting to the landscape
The intention for the look and feel of Deloitte's new space was to establish a strong connection to nature through design, finishes, and materiality. AFK and Deloitte worked with a local photographer to capture and draw inspiration from Burlington's impressive natural landscape, and to develop a colour palette for the space. The eventual palette was based on the dynamic geometric striations and tonal transitions found where tree-lined escarpments meet the fluid, calming water of lakes and streams. The colours observed in the landscape are subtly evoked throughout the scheme to lend the sense of connection to nature and that the workplace is embedded in Burlington.
A journey through the ‘Deloitte story’
Deloitte's new Burlington workspace opens with a shared set of impressive arrival spaces for clients and employees on the upper floor, which is intended to deliver a singular and consistent experience of Deloitte. This unique combination of spaces engagingly expresses Deloitte’s market differentiation, and intends to leave a memorable impression on both clients and potential new talent alike, that the firm is an inspirational organisation with a modern, focused and connected workplace community.
A separate private area on the lower floor is dedicated to employee productivity and wellbeing with a strong focus on wellness and encouraging physical and mental health. These spaces offer a selection of work settings to support focus and concentration, as well as areas for rest and recuperation spaces with access to nature and biophilia.
A tech-enabled workspace
As an organisation that takes pride in being a leader of innovation - Deloitte's new workplace needed to provide all the tools required for productivity and collaboration across all different work settings. To ensure that both clients and employees could work in optimised conditions, the spaces have been fitted with the latest technology, ranging from video-conferencing rooms, wireless content sharing and sophisticated space booking systems to promote efficiency, and enable the highest level of focus and collaboration.
