A graceful and sober renovation in Canada

Artis REIT is one of the largest real estate investment trusts in North America with an extensive portfolio of industrial, retail and office properties in Canada and the United States, including regions such as Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Arizona, Minnesota, Colorado, New York and Wisconsin.
The company is the owner and landlord of a 17-storey office building located at 220 Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where it also has its own headquarters.
Each floor extends over an area of 930 square metres while the renovated offices of Artis REIT occupy the entire 2,800 square metres of floors 6, 7 and 8.
Over the years, Artis REIT has developed its business at five different locations, four in Canada and one in the United States, all housed in company-owned buildings situated in metropolitan areas that are growing faster than the national average.
The headquarters, the largest of all the offices with 90 employees, was set up 10 years ago in a prominent city-centre skyscraper in Winnipeg. In 2018, the building was renovated by the Winnipeg-based Grant Design Group led by interior designer Debbie Grant, who chose the Inner and Portraits tile collections from Ceramiche Caesar for the surface coverings.

The design brief received by Grant from the client was clear: to create a bright, clean and airy space exploiting the abundant natural light flowing in through the large windows.
With this in mind, the female-dominated design team chose a colour palette based on white, grey and black tones with red pop accents inspired by the colour of the client’s logo. To give a touch of warmth and vitality to the main spaces, the designers used walnut wood to clad the columns, for the wood detailing and for the chairs in the communal areas, while for the offices and meeting rooms they opted for the sobriety and flexibility of DIRTT modular partitions for both opaque and glazed sections. The firm’s principal Debbie Grant writes: « The entrance and reception areas are clear and bright, while the ceramic floor tiles in the lobby on all three floors play an impeccable role: white and grey with a hint of silver. The end result is a modern, classical, functional workspace that was well received by both the client and the people who work there. »
As the owners explained, the main characteristic and design challenge of this project was the tight renovation schedule together with the fact that the client was also the owner of the property, an unusual situation in North America where most companies operate out of leased rather than owned offices. The renovation was clearly a success, as the new Artis REIT office space is now a prestigious location that ensures the well-being of both employees and customers.