Communica on the move – part 2
By Sarah Bartlett
In case you haven’t heard the news, Communica has moved!
On July 20, Communica packed up its Calgary office in the Beltline and moved into The Edison located on 150 Ninth Ave. S.W. The newly modernized building provided the ideal opportunity for Communica to move closer to the city’s downtown core and its clients.
Plenty of hard work went into making the move happen. Notably, Communica’s COO Myles Nelson and Network Operations Manager Victor Yan worked tirelessly through the weekend to ensure the staff at Communica were able to begin work the following Monday without any disruptions. Senior Advisor Eileen McCord provided employees with regular updates throughout the move, ensuring Communica’s staff were well informed.
Designers from MAKE Design Lab played a significant role in planning and designing Communica’s new office space. MAKE Design Lab’s Founding Partners Andrea Freeman and Dorian Zubko led a team of designers in planning the contemporary, yet practical office space for Communica.
“We want the space to work well for the client and for the people that use it,” says MAKE Design Lab’s Associate Partner Luanne Cheung. “So it was very important to ask the right questions, to get all the programming information, and to create a space that is useful and functional.”
In designing the space, careful attention went into selecting finishes, lighting fixtures and furniture. The overall design of the office needed to reflect the company’s corporate brand, while being functional for the staff working within the space. As a result, MAKE Design Lab collaborated with Communica’s Marketing Manager Jesse Yardley on the final design selections.
“We created a space that has excellent materials, starting with, for example, the floors, we provided polished concrete just to get a loft-look of the space,” explains MAKE Design Lab’s Design Associate Osiris Tablero. “We have a selection of wood tones, copper accents, navy blue cabinetry and solid quartz countertops.”
Communica’s signature brand colours and graphics have been integrated throughout the office. A brick feature wall holding Communica’s brushed metal and plexiglass signage welcomes visitors in the main reception area. Around the corner, another feature wall displays the company’s mission statement.
“For all enclosed offices and meeting room areas, we provided a carpet tile that provided contrast with the rest of the space,” says Tablero.
The overall office layout at Communica includes the central reception area, three break-out rooms, two boardrooms, six offices, a bistro and an open-concept space equipped with modern employee workstations. The open-concept design, where teams are integrated, encourages teamwork and dialogue amongst the different departments at Communica.
“Because there’s more open-concept than offices I think it’s helpful from the perspective of collaboration,” says Communica’s COO Myles Nelson.
The bistro area, located in the heart of Communica’s office, serves as a gathering area for staff to have lunch, hold social events, or grab a quick coffee. The bistro is fully stocked with beverages and even has a candy dispenser.
“I think that having the bistro from the get-go and having it incorporated into a centralized location in the space made it a place for people to meet, eat together, or talk, or even have a casual meeting in there,” says Cheung.
Since the big move, the staff at Communica have been enjoying the many features The Edison has to offer. The outdoor patio, fitness centre, golf simulator and games room have been popular amongst staff members. Four-legged guests are also welcome at Communica. One of the unique features of The Edison is that it is a dog-friendly building and tenants are welcome to bring their dogs to work with them.
On the whole, Communica’s newly designed Calgary office is a space that encourages open communication, collaboration and creativity.
