Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/734400
10 | OCTOBER 2016 IN8 Design Inc. Another great example of IN8's versatility is The Advocates' Society (TAS) proj- ect in downtown Toronto. With increasing demands on its education centre and issues with its previous location, TAS decided it was time to relocate. Over several months, IN8 helped them search for the right space to become a highly functional 14,000-square-foot meeting and learning place, member resource and office. Arcand admits that presenting in front of a board that consisted of senior law- yers was quite daunting, but now hails the presentation as one of his best yet: "When we stood in front of them during the design presentation, we thought it might be tricky to get them to agree to the design as it was quite a departure for them. But the board was really supportive." Over the next five months IN8 worked closely with the client and a real estate broker to find the right space. IN8 was able to establish a strong presence for TAS, the first tenant on the floor, by taking advantage of the recent public area mod- ernization. Extending the elevator lobby's black and white stone flooring into the reception area and aligning the desk with the lobby's white oak suspended canopy visually expanded the TAS space. However, Arcand says the project didn't go completely smoothly: "We decided to use a crazy aqua colour on the doors. When it first went on we got a call from the client because everyone wondered what we were doing. Even I questioned myself at one point, but we've come to realize that there is always a feature on a job that is a nail biter until it all comes together . . . then you stop biting your nails!" As it turned out, the client loved the colour so much so that they changed their branding colour to align with the new bright space. "We always joke we should stop being so bold," says Arcand. "I love colour and graphic design has helped people stop being afraid of it. Most corporate companies know that we do modern contemporary design and so they trust in what we do. When we chat with potential clients and find out they are after a more traditional style, we have no issues in recommending someone else as that's not our strength. We find most clients who come our way are on the same wavelength." One project that really stands out still to Arcand and Parker is the Urbacon head- quarters, which the duo completed while working for Canon Design. Urbacon had purchased a 50,000-square-foot derelict warehouse and the duo was tasked with designing the structure from the inside out. "We took a 10,000-square-foot office bay that was added to the front of the warehouse, knocked it down and renovated the 40,000-square-foot area to create a work environment with 22-foot ceilings. It was a fun project," says Parker. Reflecting on the project, Arcand recalls a site visit where he ran into a con- tractor who was about to paint the post and beam the wrong colour. "I have never had to work so hard at convincing someone on the spot that they should trust us! Fortunately the client has never looked back since," he says. That was back in 2007/2008 and since that time the project has become an inspiration for other design teams and clients, and been replicated in other areas of Ontario. Inspirational designs is what makes IN8 Design really stand-out. That and their ability to see what works for a client and come to a solution that has the clients' best interest at heart. "There is nothing more rewarding than turning up to a meeting with a client, being seen as a bad guy because of budgets, but then getting over that first hurdle, receiving client buy-in and being able to deliver a project they can be proud of," says Parker. And it is their complementary personalities that really shine through when you chat with them. While both share a common desire and drive to have very stringent and thorough documentation and are unafraid to question the status quo, Arcand is the creative force while Parker brings a dedication to budgets and timing that ensures the success of each and every project. "While we're very process driven, we're also determined to get to a strong design solution before presenting a concept to a client. It's hard and exciting work at the same time. Not just the partners, we all get into it and it makes it that much more interesting when one of us comes up with an out-of-the-box suggestion. We hear each other grinding away and we're not shy to voice our two cents worth during a concept development," explains Arcand. Looking ahead, IN8 plans to grow; constantly improving the level of design from the last project. "We're always open to questioning if our solution really is the best we think it can be. We love paring something down from what we thought it needed in its initial stages. It's more than value engineering at this point, it's more about clearing the space of clutter. We love engineering our projects, in a design sense," says Parker. For IN8, it is all about the people, both outside and inside the business. "We are very much about enjoying our careers, our staff and mentoring. We were fortunate to be mentored by individuals and we want to pass that along," says Parker. And when it comes to downtime, where can we find the dynamic duo? "I love to get my hands dirty when I'm not working. I have a summer house on the lake and I like puttering in the garden as it is so completely different from our work and it helps clear the head." Arcand adds: "For me, my happy hour is with my personal trainer where I can become a complete goofball at times. I think it's because you get so exerted, you can go a little cooky and the Jim Carrey comes out of me!" A Environics The Advocates Society Entro PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAI GIL FOTOGRAPHY/COURTESY IN8 DESIGN INC.