Creating places for accidental encounters that spark discussion is a huge part of the role of good architecture. We learned that in spades when suddenly common spaces had to go dormant for long periods of time. Their value is unquestionable.
Element AI
Montréal
Element AI’s office is designed around 3 themes: Montréal (specifically the Mile End neighbourhood that their offices look out on), the democratization of artificial intelligence and the support of Element AI’s global culture. The primary goal was to humanize the connection to technology.
The cultural richness of Montréal played the part of muse for the EAI project. Subtle and less subtle cues are taken from the urban surrounds and brought into the design, making the transition from the life around them and the workplace less static and more inclusive.
Design Insight - Marconi Café
Places To Meet
Meeting rooms come in different size and type but all are technically equipped for collaboration, remote access and mobile work.
Design Insight - The Library
A place to learn, read and focus. With its vaulted roof, this room takes visual cues from the multiple neighbouring churches in and faces the iconic Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal.
Project Fun Facts
4,000
Sheets of drywall were used in this project. That's enough to cover the Bell Centre rink 7.5 times!
695
That's the number of solid oak wood slats that can be found around the office!
30,000
Is the approximate square foot area of Dry Erase paint that was used - now that's brainstorming surface!
55
Kilometres of cabling. If it were yarn, there’d be enough to knit 270 toques!
Work pod views
360° views of the Montréal landscape. Look out at Mont-Royal, the Olympic Stadium or one of the 20 church steeples located within a 3km radius!
Local Artists
We tapped into Montreal's thriving and diverse art scene and commissioned local artists to add their talent. Murals were painted by Ola Volo and Benny Wilding.
“Our amazing physical space connects all our teams and puts us in a better headspace to focus on fundamental research for the AI solutions we are bringing to market."
Anne Martel, Co-Founder and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Collaborators
Project Manager: Cresa Ottawa PM inc.
Construction Manager: Marfoglia Construction
Builder: Marfoglia Construction
Millworker: Marfoglia Construction
Artists: Murals by Ola Volo, Benny Wilding
Photographer: Claude-Simon Langlois
Brickwork
The world of IT binary code – ones and zeros – are the building blocks upon which everything relies. We realized with the help and imagination of local masons, we could create a series of repeated figures in extraordinary brickwork in a kind of binary code mimicry.
