The Optimus office in downtown Toronto serves a unique function for its staff. With approximately 400 employees working remotely, the office is a base for occasional check-ins, meetings, and training for new employees.
The challenge of this project, and the primary goal of the design, was to find a way to keep employees feeling engaged and connected to their workplace and coworkers, despite not actually working in the space day to day.
One of Optimus' beliefs is that "staff are the DNA of the company", therefore personal elements were incorporated into the design to reflect their values of community and identity.
A feature art piece made up of hundreds of metal discs inserted into a magnetic wall represents staff in a unique and thoughtful way. Each disc features a photo that represents one employee, and is either black or white on the reverse. Together these discs form a framework of people's lives on one side, and a DNA-like pattern on the other.
Sections of glass, wood, and metal transform this challenging corner into a dynamic intersection of lines and textures.
The large kitchen was designed for flow and flexibility. It includes movable furniture that can be rearranged during celebrations, as well as beer taps and ping pong tables that encourage staff to congregate and socialize.
