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J UNE 2018 | 79 PCL Toronto – New District Oces PHOTOGRAPHY BY [MAIN IMAGE] KEITH WILLIAMS/COURTESY PCL CONSTRUCTORS CANADA INC.; [OTHERS] DOUBLESPACE PHOTOGRAPHY/COURTESY PCL CONSTRUCTORS CANADA INC. & B+H ARCHITECTS PCL Toronto – New District Oces by SUSAN PEDERSON A s PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto) outgrew the 25-year-old office housing its Greater Toronto area operations, departments were scattered across a building that was dated and in need of a major renova- tion. In order to sustain their business well into the future, they set out to build a more collaborative workplace focused on employee engagement, wellness, innovation, and technology. With a 112-year history of construc- tion expertise in their favour, one might assume that building the office space of their dreams, in an existing LEED Silver structure, would be breeze. Todd Craigen, PCL Toronto senior VP and district manager, admits, "Being both the client and the con- struction manager on a project is not as easy as one would think. There are difficult decisions that need to be made in balancing the organization's current and future needs, while being respect- ful of the wants and needs of individual departments. Every decision was grounded by the question; how will this empower our employees to work at their best?" PCL's signature craftsmanship is captured in the details. As the first piv- otal stop, the reception area opens to a show-stopping staircase that runs between the two floors that PCL occu- pies, increasing connectivity between departments. Complemented by angled millwork planters and glass fins etched with a map of southern Ontario, the focal point of the space is a very large angled piece of glass emblazoned with PCL's legendary Poole's Rules. "Poole's Rules remind us about the core principles that guided our founder Ernie Poole when he penned them more than 112 years ago," says Craigen. "These principles have made PCL what it is today, and a century later, are still very much a part of our culture." The new digs also feature open con- cept work and hoteling spots with both hard wall areas and open wall spaces, so employees who don't typically work in PCL offices can use an app to book the workstations. "People are gathering in these and other spaces, and there is a great deal of collaborative work happening between our employees and our stake- holders," says Craigen. The highlight of the new head- quarters, however, is the café, which is frequently filled to capacity; a stark contrast from the old office space where the majority of employees ate at their desks. The café is a modern space that has booths along one wall, acous- tic finishes for added privacy, as well as small, intimate table set-ups. "We transformed the concept of the traditional meeting space; it's like Starbucks meets PCL," Craigen says. "It's been very important to PCL culture." Peter Heys, principal of interior design with B+H Architects, adds that the café also serves as a multi-purpose room for large and small meetings with a mix of seating options, all contained within just under 2,000 square feet. Nice add-ons to the rest of the office space include additional showers and washrooms beyond what is required by building codes, and an office design where people are encouraged to get up from their desk throughout the day and collaborate in "collision zones." "You know how they say sitting is the new smoking?" says Heys. "PCL has a goal to create space where everyone can access activity throughout the day. "PCL prioritized the health and well- ness of its employees. But since it is PCL, they really wanted a design that spoke to a company that is in the construction business. As builders associated with steel, concrete, wood, and glass, those elements all played a key role in the fin- ished design, and they wanted them as raw as possible. They were not inter- ested in ornate or high-end finishes, but pure and natural design." LOCATION 2201 Bristol Circle, Suite 500, Oakville, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER/ GENERAL CONTRACTOR PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto) ARCHITECT/INTERIOR DESIGN B+H Architects STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Dorlan Engineering Consultants Inc. MECHANICAL CONSULTANT The Mitchell Partnership Inc. ELECTRICAL/ COMMUNICATION CONSULTANT Mulvey & Banani International Inc. (MBII) LEED CONSULTANT Green Reason TOTAL SIZE 58,000 square feet TOTAL COST $10 million 10:37 AM 2:49 PM 1:01 PM 9:41 AM

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