The Vancouver office of Perkins+Will was recently honoured by the Interior Design Institute of British Columbia (IDIBC), when they were presented with two awards at the Institute’s Awards of Excellence 2012 gala.
Perkins+Will’s design for Cobalt Engineering’s new corporate headquarters in Vancouver earned the only Award of Excellence in the Workplace Total Category and an Award of Merit in the Sustainability Category, one of only two projects that were recognized across multiple categories.
“We are incredibly pleased to have our work recognized as one of this year’s market-leading designs,” says Loren Cavallin, Perkins+Will’s Director of Interior Design and the lead designer of the Cobalt Office Interiors project. “Cobalt is a creative and innovative company that believes strongly in collaboration and sustainability. We wanted their corporate interiors to reflect these core values.”
Targeting LEED-CI Gold standard, the project was developed in close collaboration with the client, allowing them to showcase their leadership in sustainability. While the building site offers prime water and mountain views, strategic planning, low panels, and transparency maximize vistas throughout the entire space. A focus on daylight harvesting reduces energy consumption, and custom plywood lighting fixture in the reception area speaks to light and air, Cobalt’s core business.
“We couldn’t be happier in our new space,” says Stuart Hood, Managing Partner of Cobalt Engineering. “ The team at Perkins+Will worked closely with our mechanical and electrical engineers to design an office that is a joy to work in. We are able to showcase the benefit of collaborative integrated design with electrical, lighting, mechanical and interior design coming together as one. We have moved from an office where our clients would rarely visit to a place where we can host meetings with pride.”
The Cobalt Vancouver office will now join other Perkins+Will projects, such as TELUS House, Haworth Calgary, and the City of Vancouver Engineering Department, as IDIBC award-winning projects. With an expanding portfolio of workplace interiors, the firm is currently applying their innovative approach to the corporate offices of industry giants Microsoft and CBRE.