BMO NOVA CENTRE HALIFAX
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF THE PROJECT
- Area: 43,880 sq ft
- Interior designer: Cléo Katcho
- City: Halifax
- Type: New construction
- Photographer: Paul Darrow
The design of the office spaces at BMO Nova Centre Halifax was a pilot project that had to fit in with the bank’s One Bank concept, which aimed to standardize employee service spaces across Canada. Meeting rooms of various sizes, videoconferencing spaces, small cubicles for phone calls, optimal areas for concentration, etc., all had to be incorporated into the plans.
However, standardizing these spaces did not require replicating a specific design model. On the contrary, our presentation of a customized office design that reflected the identity and environment of the location was very well received by the internal team. Several subtle elements representative of Nova Scotia’s climate and lifestyle were incorporated into the office space design.
Indeed, the choice of slender pendant lights in the lobby is reminiscent of rain, a characteristic feature of Halifax’s climate. The use of wooden slats is a nod to the hulls of the boats that are so prevalent in the landscape, and the slat motif is reused in various places and with other materials: architectural ceiling features, frosted lines added to the glass walls of private offices, combining privacy and continuity in the design. We even used a spectacular and very appropriate light fixture called “Fisherman’s Tear” for the main conference room!
Enhancing BMO’s brand image was central to the development of the design concept for the BMO Nova Centre Halifax spaces, but we adapted it to better reflect the location by opting for navy blue instead of the bank’s standard royal blue, among other choices. The real success of this project came from the thoughtful and subtle incorporation of elements that were meaningful to employees, which certainly helped to strengthen their sense of identity and, at the same time, their sense of belonging to the bank.