Park Property Management manages residential rental accommodations across southern Ontario. The company recently moved its Toronto headquarters into a former storage space on the penthouse level of one of its apartment buildings. The renewed interior not only made more efficient use of the real estate, it also offered an ideal workplace, with plenty of daylight and expansive views, as well as a convenient location for Park Property's customers. Inspired by the modernist features of the 1961 building, Quadrangle Architects' Interiors Group rehabilitated the space, maintaining prime pre-existing fixtures and features - such as a folded concrete ceiling and original terrazzo flooring, and converted it into an office with a Mad Men theme, adding vintage colours, materials and furnishings with a contemporary twist. According to Interiors Group Lead, Caroline Robbie, "The space and its architecture harken back to the “MadMen” era for its mix of work and life. We aimed to capture the romance of that era in a modern workplace.”
Entering the office area through the elevator, visitors are met with black and gold micro-print wallpaper custom-developed by Quadrangle from Park Property's logo. The office was designed on an open plan with two private offices that maximize light from both the south and north faces. Ambient lighting fixtures were chosen for their ability to blend into their surroundings, allowing the folded concrete ceiling to become the focus. In key areas, Quadrangle refurbished and reused wall lighting and pendant lights from the existing space. Colours and patterns reminiscent of the era that complement the original terrazzo flooring were integrated with custom walnut millwork and Interface carpet tiles recreated to look like area rugs. Contemporary workstations were mixed with classic furniture by Herman Miller, creating a retro feeling while also meeting contemporary workplace requirements.
The overall layout and flow characterise residential interiors, but have been translated for an office space with a high degree of function and comfort. This reflects the nature of Park Property’s family-owned business, representing the company's core values – long standing relationships, quality, craftsmanship and family, while adding a fun design twist.
For a “MadMen” inspired video developed in collaboration with filmmaker Bob Gundu
