FOR. design planning blended science, technology and society in the design of the third phase of Genetec‘s headquarters located in Montreal, Canada.

Occupying more than 120,000 sq. ft. at the Technoparc, Genetec’s head office is large, if not very large. The renovation project of this international company specialized in security systems is therefore spread out over several years and is being carried out in multiple phases.

After initiating the project in 2015, FOR. is now completing Phase III: the fourth floor of the main building. Being the very first space the company has occupied, FOR pampered it by giving it distinctive functions and a unifying spirit, through the established conceptual direction and spatial planning of the project.

At its heart, a library was created to house the favorite books of Genetec employees from around the world, in order to share the personal interests of all. A way to bring people together, despite distance and through knowledge. It is interconnected with three meeting rooms and a collaboration lounge which is repeated on every floor and includes a coffee corner, discussion tables, video games and changing rooms. Together, they form a quintet of creative hubs where every element of design stimulates and facilitates the flow of ideas. A large presentation room reserved for global all-hands presentations, research unveilings and product launches completes the public area of this unifying floor.

Occupying the rest of the level, the finance and legal departments grew by 30-40% during the process, which was a major planning challenge. For these teams, whose tasks require a high level of confidentiality and concentration, FOR. opted for a more classic layout model – shared closed offices – and reserved them several intimate meeting spaces, such as telephone booths, alcove seating and hoteling rooms. Thus the densification ratio of the floor has been significantly reduced, a counter-trend in today’s work environments, that definitely corresponds with their functioning.

Adopting Genetec’s culture means embracing the relationship between science, technology and society, which motivated the selection of different materials, both pure and raw. Linear lighting and angular walls help energize this floor that plunges visitors into the heart of a science fiction series. But Genetec has all of the science and none of the fiction.

Design: FOR. design planning
Photography: Stéphane Brügger

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