Award

October 2018

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6 | OCTOBER 2018 Mayhew Inc. S P A C E CHANGERS B ack in the 1930s very little was understood about the importance that workplace design has on employee engagement, wellness, and produc- tivity. And yet, one lady in Windsor, Ontario, was about to change all that. "Mayhew Inc. actually started back in 1934 with my great-grand- mother, who, during The Great Depression, was selling stationery to the major automotive companies in Windsor. She was extremely for- ward thinking and this was passed down to my father, Mark Mayhew, who joined the company and is an innovative strategist who understood the importance of space and that, as the business world quickly evolved, we needed to think about it differently," explains Marcia Mayhew, CEO. As the company procured more product, Mark Mayhew decided to hire an interior designer to help grow the business and educate clients about how small changes in the office can foster better results. The interior designer in question, Christine, joined the team, and not only became the brains behind the company's design thinking, but also Mark's wife – a perfect partnership in many ways. "Indeed, I am the product of an office romance," laughs Marcia Mayhew. Mayhew, which was once widely recognized as a name attached to a large furniture manufacturer, suddenly blossomed into an interior design firm. It was a natural transition in many ways, having such a profound understanding of how small things can make the biggest difference, and yet it wasn't until 2000, when Marcia Mayhew decided to join the family business, that Mayhew headed in the direction that some might say it was always destined for. "I was actually working in a marketing role at Great-West Life, which was a Mayhew client. I saw our Mayhew field team in the office one day and realized that the family business was calling," explains Marcia Mayhew. With her business savvy and understanding of design and branding, the company was about to go through a further evolution, and in 2015 its model completely changed as Mayhew began partnering with Canadian firms to create the best Canadian value to its clients and celebrate The Great White North. Today, Mayhew is a Canadian design and consulting firm with a staff of 70 including 30 interior designers – based out of their two offices in Kitchener and Richmond Hill. Rather impressively, the company has planned over three million square feet of space (with projects ranging from 1,000 to 200,000 square feet) and currently has 150 active projects on its books. That's quite an accomplish- ment for a company that started out selling stationery! Trying to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes Mayhew such a success is nigh on impossible. It has all the right ingredients – client focused, design savvy expression, diverse staff ranging from 23 to 72 years of age, a visionary approach, entrepreneurship – but it is about much more than that. Mayhew was and remains ahead of its time. Its people understood how design impacts the people within, long before it became a "thing." "Everyone talks about real estate optimization and open offices, but it's also about making it a place where people want to work; health, well-being, and well- ness at work are things we have always talked about," explains Marcia Mayhew. "The industry has seen increasing awareness when it comes to the importance of design and using space as an asset for attraction and retention. Many are look- ing for their office to be the next Google space, for example, but we don't believe in mimicking something that works for other companies. We facilitate exploratory conversations with our clients about the importance of the work space as a busi- ness and behavioural driver. We are seeing decision makers really invested in space, which used to be an afterthought." While Mayhew's core focus was at one time the automotive industry, its clients now span a variety of industries, while still retaining many of its original clients. "We are being brought to the table far sooner," says Marcia Mayhew. "The mid- market that looks at their people and processes, that's who we deal with. Even before lease expiry is on their mind we talk about how they can leverage their real estate to motivate their people and save costs. We also have a different clientele base because of our Canadian grassroots approach. It resonates with many companies, especially with the trade wars and imposed tariffs discussion that are currently going on." When you scan the projects that Mayhew has been involved in, you see all these elements come together. The CIBC Live Lounge in the MaRS Discovery District in downtown Toronto is a perfect example. The client had a long list of requirements for the space that was left unfinished after the construction of the phase two building. They wanted to create a flexible lounge for tenants and the MaRS community to work and meet on a drop-in basis, but have the flexibility of converting the space into an event venue. The open floorplan, punctuated with angular columns and circular ceiling elements, allows the space to be converted into an event venue by re-arranging the modular furniture. The movable frameless glass system along the front wall allows the space to be private and quiet when closed, and more public when open. The design was so successful that it was ranked on BlogTO as one of the best co-working spaces in Toronto. Another illustrative example of how Mayhew brings office space to life is the account- ing firm Danyliw & Mann's 5,000-square-foot office condo in Burlington, Ontario. "This client had a clear vision and a very tight budget. It is an accounting firm that has personality and manages estate and tax planning for Canadian musi- cians, so they wanted their space to reflect their client's creative passion and personality. For this redesign it was about trying to showcase their personality," says Marcia Mayhew. Mayhew took inspiration from the music industry in order to achieve the funky, edgy space that was required. Polished concrete floors, white brick walls, and exposed black ceilings give the project a modern vibe. Exposed ceilings Mayhew Inc. continues to drive highly imaginative design by NATALIE BRUCKNER-MENCHELLI

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