The drumbeat toward more open, collaborative offices is loud. (Which makes sense, since the younger users who prefer those offices are probably involved in drum circles in their free time.) So we're thrilled to be hosting Bisnow's Creative Office Summit—at the Shangri-La Hotel on June 17. Join us!
In Downtown West, The Well may be the perfect example of such a project, according to Avison Young SVP consulting and advisory services Rodney McDonald, who will be moderating. You may have seen the massive, new mixed-use community over seven and a half acres, being developed by Diamond, RioCan, and Allied. AY is handling leasing on the 1M SF office component. “That project integrates office, retail, and residential into one single development better than most projects I have seen,” Rodney tells us. Expect contemporary space that reflects new trends in workspace. (We're still wary "collaborative" is just a cover story for people who want to show each other videos on YouTube.)
At our event, expect Rodney to get specifics on the impact technological innovation has had on the office market. The traditional office is being redefined, especially in markets where the tech and media sector are prominent. Snapped is inside the PwC Tower, where Rodney works. (An empty conference table is proof that people prefer to be modern and mobile, rather than the traditional desk thing.)
Open office spaces will reflect the transparency and openness in our everyday lives, he says. With flexibility and connectivity comes innovation, and therein lies value-creation, both for businesses and for humans, in terms of health benefits. Rodney loves mountain biking through the ravines of Don Valley with his wife and two kids. That’s the point—being able to do business on a mobile device, wherever you are. “You can start a doc in your office, pick it up on an iPad at the cottage, finish it up on your laptop at home, then file it from a mobile phone,” Rodney says. Pictured is the Corus Building, which Rodney also references as a model for the new age. For more, grab your bikes and stop by our big Creative Office Summit, June 17.
