What would motivate people to leave the comfort of their homes to return to the office? That was the challenge presented to Vancouver design firm Edit Studios, who was commissioned to lead the design for Trulioo’s new 35,000 sq. ft. headquarters.
A global company with offices worldwide, Trulioo is one of the world’s most trusted identity verification platforms. Their new HQ spans two floors, and the space revolves around a brightly painted, interconnected stair featuring a custom mural by local artist Rory Doyle, depicting Trulioo’s number one asset, their people. When entering in through reception, you can’t help but notice the abstract topographic continents of the world scribed to the wall. This piece is meant to communicate Trulioo’s global reach.
The priority was to unite all 300 staff into a collaborative, functional, and productive environment that would drive interaction and collaboration. Edit Studios utilized tools such as surveys and one-on-one interviews to uncover themes that reinforced the design direction for the space.
It became clear that acoustical privacy was necessary; open working environments would not work. Employees are on virtual calls daily and require more phone and small meeting rooms to conduct their work without disrupting neighbors. Clusters of phone rooms ranging in size break up the office work points and offer respite to concentrate. Open collaboration areas are positioned away from work points, limiting the number of interruptions in a day.
“We became comfortable with tech being a numbers game over the last ten years. How many open seats can you fit in one space? Through the pandemic, we saw a shift in sentiment towards having more control over private space. People want spaces with little distraction. The Trulioo space plan became an exercise not in the headcount, but in optimizing the number of private spaces teams can access without booking them,” says Janay Koldingnes of Edit Studios.
Trulioo’s space comprises amenity areas, collaboration, and meeting spaces, and open collaboration areas are centrally located around work points, each with a slightly different fit and feel. Edit designed a 1,500 sq. ft. library, created for heads-down focused work, and a “living room” that offers a more social setting to collaborate, watch the news, or play Xbox with a colleague. The café allows staff to meet weekly with state-of-the-art technology to host town halls. Within this space, Edit carved out “Arcade Alley”, home to various vintage arcade games. Discreetly tucked away behind wooden doors is Trulioo’s very own Irish pub, offering a bespoke nod to their satellite office in Dublin. “Arcade Alley” is home to vintage arcade games, foosball, and ping pong.
Trulioo’s office design was intended to reflect a residential feel and home comforts, with the modern office’s amenities and technology. Resimercial became the anthem for the design incorporating a layered lighting approach, soft furnishings, and a warm colour palette. A corporate rebrand allowed Edit to use the concepts and colours to inform the office’s palette, signage, and wayfinding. Everything down to the wall coverings was custom designed, referencing shapes and colours from the Trulioo rebrand.
One of the most exciting features of the space is the plant libraries scattered around the office. During engagement, employees identified how important plant life is to their well-being. As a result, they can borrow a plant from the many plant libraries and take it back to their desk for the day.
From “library” settings that boast no zoom calls, to “living room” spaces that allow one to kick back and watch a game, there is something to motivate everyone to return to the office.
Photo credit: Ema Peter
