Ubisoft’s 400 video game creators located in Quebec City have been settling into their new workspaces since last May. An ambitious relocation project, the design of this new studio was done in an integrated way under the direction of the firm Coarchitecture, mandated by Ubisoft Quebec for this architectural challenge.
The studio’s space is articulated around an electric blue staircase, placed in the heart of the building, constituting the spine of the project. The fluidity, communication and interconnection between colleagues and diverse teams were the priority of the spatial organization. Thus, many collective spaces and meetings, formal or informal, revolve around this great dynamic breakthrough.
Based on this integrated design process, the lighting was designed jointly by the architects and LumiGroup. Certain traffic areas and public spaces are punctuated by industrial and robust style lighting fixtures (Lightheaded and Viscor Lighting), referring to the urban landscape, such as Quebec’s alleys, parks and garages. In contrast, warm fixtures that are more residential style, mark some meeting spaces, or the dining room, for a more intimate and cozy feel.
Where informal meetings take place, halfway between the working space and the transition zone, the facilities reveal a large opening and a playful decor, focused on the concepts of outdoor spaces and seasons. The summer room features a swing with upward-facing lighting, Osram’s Linear Light Flex, and Absolux’s Keiko wall sconces, reminiscent of outdoor torches. The winter room offers a starry ceiling composed of several individual light bulbs, Absolux’s AX-4803 model, arranged at various heights. Then, a large park comes to cut the density of the large working place in two, allowing space and ideas to ventilate.
The playful facet continues with the hut in the tree, a shelter made of wood, where the chosen light, the Droog Light by Castor Design, takes inspiration from the way guitar pedals are activated. Each light is turned on through pressing a switch like a guitar stomp box. Rubber 12-volt truck lights plug into a power box using guitar jacks. The lights are placed wherever the user wants, using metal pucks and magnets.
