Our firm was retained in 2000 to review potential sites to house CMAC’s growing organization. Following extensive review of numerous locations, the two-storey, 18,000 sq.ft. site was selected in north Etobicoke. The head office would require 10,000 sq.ft. of immediate space, with additional space available from the existing tenants over the next five-year period. The ground floor was comprised of two tenant spaces divided by a masonry block wall.

The design called for two secure committee rooms that were separate from the shared meeting rooms and ancillary lunchroom, washroom and reception. The existing masonry wall became the organizing element dividing the ground floor offices. The main east west public corridor was situated beside this wall linking the reception area to the second floor staircase, lunchroom, and washrooms terminating at the meeting rooms. This represents the public realm of the offices, hosting visitors for training, conferences and meetings. The private office areas are accessed by a pair of perpendicular corridors that run north south across this main corridor. These offices are arranged along the perimeter of the building taking advantage of natural light and views.

The second floor staircase adjacent to the 2,000 sq.ft. reception area containing president’s suite and other executive offices. The office group is arranged around the north-end of the staircase with potential for expansion to the south in the adjacent tenant space. The staircase includes a skylight that floods the stair and lightens the corridor below at the ground floor level. The project dealt with the upgrade of an existing building, its adaptive reuse and the planning for future growth and modification and was completed in 2001.