Outaouais Headoffice fit-up, Ministery of transportation

Like many large organizations, the Quebec Government has developed new activity-based workplace design (ABW) standards. The fit-up of the Direction générale territoriale de l’Outaouais (DGTO) was the first project to integrate these standards in the region and represented a flagship initiative for the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI), which oversees the implementation of these standards.

The DGTO offices are located in an 11-storey building built in 1978, with wide bands of windows at the perimeter of each floor. The design concept exploits the natural light that enters through the abundant fenestration and highlights the industrial aspect of the exposed concrete structure to create a bright, contemporary open-plan layout. Wood finishes, glass and concrete provide a play of sober, authentic textures that contribute to the industrial ambience. White and black are the only other colors used on the partitions: the open areas along the windows are painted white to ensure better light propagation in the workspaces, while the centrally grouped meeting rooms are painted black, providing a contrast that makes it easy to distinguish between the two types of use. A wooden slatted ceiling marks the corridor running through the 2,200 m² space, providing a buffer between the meeting rooms and the open areas.

The acoustic treatment in the open spaces controls reverberation to limit noise propagation, and the partitions between the meeting rooms have been carefully studied to reduce sound transmission. The main ventilation ducts were treated with insulating materials and the diffusers were chosen for their silent properties, always with the intention of delivering a peaceful and pleasant working environment.

Throughout this streamlined layout are many well-concealed amenities such as movable acoustic partitions in the large meeting room, water coolers integrated into the dinette island, personal locker spaces and a variety of meeting rooms: more windowed or private, for large groups or for two people.

Photography by Urszula Muntean