Completed in late 2020, the Whitby Operations Centre workplace addition is an innovative solution to the municipality’s need for more space. The $5 M, second-storey, 8,000 SF structure is built over the existing facility. The new second floor has break out areas and collaborative space, mixed with traditional offices, all which encourage communication and collaboration across departments. In addition to the fit out, we renovated and extended the entrance vestibule, emergency control room.

The design was guided by a set of success criteria, defined by the client, including:

• Safe, barrier-free accessible and flexible design
• Efficient lean principles, incorporated into the design of the space
• Protect the long-term vision for the facility
• Energy efficiency, sustainable, life cycling asset management
• Collaborative social areas tailored to Whitby’s corporate culture
• Affordable and long-term solutions

The second storey addition is the first phase of the Town’s three-phase plan. We worked with Whitby in 2015, defining this comprehensive strategy.

The exterior of the second-floor addition is a mixture of aluminum composite panels, wood composite cladding, and glazing/spandrel glass. All aspects of the design was tailored, considering how to reduce long term operational costs for the municipality and improve its carbon footprint.