New Offices for Vigilant Global in Montréal, Canada by LumiGroup

Article source: LumiGroup

Vigilant Global, a Montreal-based research, development and information technology company, mandated Provencher Roy to redesign its offices in Montreal. LumiGroup, a key collaborator in lighting for the project assisted the interior designers in enhancing each room with lighting adapted for a refined, modern and dynamic environment.

Rest area. Linear general lighting: a.light. Indirect lighting: Osram, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

• Architects: LumiGroup
• Project: New Offices for Vigilant Global
• Location: Montréal, Canada
• Photography: Alexi Hobbs, a.light, Luceplan, Luminis, Anglepoise, Absolux
• Design Team: Vincent Hauspy (Associate), Lauren Goldenburg (Designer), Hani Diab (Designer), Normand Evers (Architectural Technologist), Jérémy Grenier (Architectural Technologist)
• Lighting Design: Provencher_Roy in collaboration with LumiGroup (lighting agent) and other lighting manufacturers
• Interior Designer: Provencher_Roy
• Project Manager: Anna Westlund

Open offices. Linear general lighting a.light, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

Well-being and comfort
Vigilant wanted a new office space that was modern, “cool’’ and refined. They wanted to ensure it felt like a tech office but also warm and inviting. To achieve all of these goals, the concept included strong black lines, careful use of patterning, wood features throughout, and a refined palette of accent colours. The result includes elements of fun but they were carefully introduced so the final effect remains mature.

Conference room. Linear general lighting: a.light. Recessed ceiling: MP lighting, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

Lounge and cafeteria. Decorative lighting: Absolux – Orsay, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

“As designers, we were fortunate to work with a client that put so much focus on employee wellbeing and the quality of the finished space. Design was a priority alongside significant electromechanical, IT, and AV requirements and the result is a space that we and the client are very proud of.”, explains Anna Westlund, partner and interior designer at Provencher Roy.

The office is only used by employees, so the interior needed to be impressive and appealing to potential new recruits and support the health and productivity of staff. A balance between areas for focused work, collaboration and break times were a priority as well as flexibility. The new layout promotes all these aspects with elegance and modernity.

Corridor and elevators. MP Lighting: Recessed floor lights (accent lighting), Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

Lounge and bar. Decorative lighting: Absolux – Orsay. Recessed ceiling: MP lighting, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

Wood, warmth and refinement
Before crossing the threshold of the door, coming out of the elevator, the natural color of the wood juxtaposed to the black steel sets the tone. The changes of ceiling level are the canvas of a laser cut pattern of several small dots that remind the printed circuit boards of the technological universe. The light is cleverly concealed there, embellishing this space of circulation often forsaken. There are striking contrasts: light and matter, black and white, empty and full.

The wood continues its path in many areas. A noble and democratic material while also a material that warms computer systems. On the floor, walls and ceilings, smooth or rough, pale or dark, the wood intrudes continually adding comfort to the space. A set of thin slats of wood dresses elegantly the ceiling of the conference rooms and office spaces. A.light’s lighting, integrated with the same linearity, contrasts and energizes the space.

Game room. Decorative lighting – Floor lamp: Anglepoise Giant 1227. Decorative lighting – Suspension: Absolux – Matix Plus, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

Lounge and bar. Decorative lighting: Absolux – Matix Plus, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

This warmth that permeates Vigilant’s office is also noticeable through Luceplan’s, Anglepoise’s and Absolux’s decorative lighting, in common areas such as the kitchen, the bar area, the lounge, the cafeteria, and the game room.

Design and corporate culture: collaborative spaces
The new spaces reflect well Vigilant’s company culture. Encouraging communication between employees, the workspaces are multifunctional and stimulate creation. Rest areas, collaborative spaces and entertainment venues are set up in several locations, allowing for a different way of working. Modular rooms also host one-off or recurring events.

Front desk. Decorative Lighting: Luceplan – Compendium, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

Private cubicles. Indirect Lighting: a.light, Image Courtesy © Alexi Hobbs

The open and closed spaces were designed using moveable walls, moveable furniture, and sit-stand workstations, allowing reconfiguration for various open and closed spaces for employees to get together or work alone. Every floor includes spaces that support these different modes of being in the office. With employee health a priority for Vigilant, access to natural light was ensured for all workers using demountable glass partitions.  Acoustic treatments were carefully applied in open areas to avoid noise bleed.

Dynamic, ambient and functional lighting

The lighting design for the project was complex.  With so many different spaces that support many different tasks the goal was to create different moods with the different lighting schemes, rather than a uniform distribution with the same lighting levels throughout.  The design was achieved through careful fixture selection to support the function and concept in each zone and adjustments based on a detailed lighting model. The lighting reads as dynamic and purposeful, with a mixture of decorative fixtures for café and lounge spaces and streamlined ambient and task lighting for office and lab spaces.  Lighting was also carefully considered to complement audio-visual requirements in meeting rooms, videoconference rooms and multi-purpose spaces. LumiGroup was able to offer a variety of modern and specialized lighting systems, in Vigilant Global’s style.

Original 1227 Giant, Image Courtesy © Anglepoise

accoLED, Image Courtesy © a.light

About Provencher _Roy

Provencher Roy, dominant player in the urban architecture in Canada, is a multidisciplinary firm offering services in architecture, architectural planning, urban design and urban planning, landscape, interior design, industrial design and sustainable development. The firm brings together more than 200 passionate professionals working in all areas of the environment built in Canada and abroad.

Compendium, Image Courtesy © Luceplan

Orsay, Image Courtesy © Absolux

About LumiGroup

LumiGroup, founded in 1995, is Quebec’s largest lighting agency. It represents a vast number of lighting manufacturers from Quebec and around the world, exhibited in a 10,000 square foot showroom in the heart of Montreal’s Mile End artistic district. LumiGroup creates, in collaboration with industry specialists, the right lighting solution, including fixtures and controls. Its mission is to creatively transform space in terms of functionality and ergonomics, to stimulate and motivate the end user. LumiGroup is proud to be ranked in the 2015 PROFIT 500: Canada’s 500 Fastest-Growing Companies. Only 44 Montreal-based companies have been ranked this year.

Syrios, Image Courtesy © Luminis

Tags: Canada, Montreal

Categories: Interiors, Offices

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