Spaces inspired by collaboration and curiosity.

GEC recently completed renovations of each of our Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto studios, developing work environments that are a true reflection of our culture, while also highlighting the main architectural features of each building that we operate within.

GEC’s Edmonton studio is located in the first mass-timber office building in Alberta – West Block, located just west of downtown in Glenora. The workspace features an exposed mass-timber structure, contemporary finishes, warm, natural light with ceiling to floor glazing, multipurpose and meeting spaces. The design approach for this interior fit-out was to foster an open and collaborative studio environment. To achieve this, the design team flipped the conventional notion of the corporate office by eliminating private offices altogether and pushing service spaces to the edges, allowing the open studio to be front and centre.

The studio is book-ended by meeting rooms to the east and west, allowing for full daylighting from the south into the studio. Smaller break-out spaces are distributed through the studio to encourage casual encounters and collaboration. At the heart of the studio are an open kitchen and a large communal kitchen table. A feature wall or mass element spans across the full length of the north side of the studio, consolidating all service and support functions for the office, playing-off of and engaging the studio space. This feature wall includes a magnetic chalkboard presentation area for charrettes and design critiques, the kitchen wall, storage, printing and display areas.