The term “third place” (first coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg back in 1989) is typically used to describe social environments located beyond someone’s home or office — with coffee shops and bars being two of the most frequently cited examples. Lately, however, workspaces like Scotiabank North — the Canadian bank’s new downtown Toronto hub, designed by KPMB Architects — are evolving to integrate third places of their own. In the process, companies are demonstrating the importance of treating one’s workforce less like staff and more like guests.

The bank’s 14-storey office anchors the Bay Adelaide Centre’s recently completed north tower, designed by KPMB with Adamson Associates. At the interior scale, KPMB describes the fit out for Scotiabank North as being driven by the concept of “hosting your employees.” What results is a combination of amenities that take cues from both hospitality settings and cultural venues, filling the varied office levels with everything from bistros to art galleries.

Rather than distracting from daily business, these socially-minded “third places” actively support it — indeed, many of them evolved directly from engagement sessions with the bank’s team, which set priorities such as inclusion, accessibility, health and wellness. 

The project’s strong focus on shared spaces is most apparent on the third floor, which has been dubbed the North Commons. Anchored by a grab-and-go coffee shop and outfitted with a full range of seating options (from Maharam-upholstered banquettes to communal tables designed by Mary Ratcliffe Studio), this flexible social hub becomes a destination for everything from quick employee catch ups to full-scale town halls.

Adding to the setting’s appeal, windows look out to the Cloud Gardens Conservatory, a neighbouring Financial District landmark.

Additional coffee stations and bistros are spread throughout floors six to nine, with each of these areas including a staircase linking different levels to promote chance encounters.

Given that many Scotiabank employees play host to important clients, the office’s warm, welcoming atmosphere is also designed with external guests in mind. Private lounges, dining rooms and an outdoor terrace on the office’s higher floors ensure a comfortable, memorable experience for visitors, all while cutting down on the need for offsite reservations.

A dedicated client reception desk on the 10th floor even offers visitors a chance to browse an adjacent art gallery corridor before they’re led to their eventual destination.

The furniture and finishes are similarly gallery-worthy. Throughout, natural materials like stone (used most dramatically on reception desks made with Super Silver from Enmar Consulting Inc.) and wood are complemented by graphic treatments that reflect forest or mountain imagery.

Boardroom designs include custom tables by Nienkämper and executive seating from Andreu World, while an antique table from Scotiabank’s original boardroom sits in another meeting space in a fun nod to company history.  

When it comes time to get down to business, an activity-based working strategy allows employees to choose the space that best suits their task. Floor plans, furniture and technology were planned with each of the bank’s businesses in mind, ensuring that everyone from the trading floors to corporate banking, asset management and group treasury has the right mix of work studios, hoteling desks, private offices and quiet zones.

The outcome is a finely attuned balance of work and play. After all, while there’s no doubt that a workspace needs to support productivity, it also helps to have an office that employees actually like. And when it comes to talent recruitment and retention — not to mention wooing workers back downtown — Scotiabank North’s big investment in social and break spaces seems likely to pay off.