The Toronto Board of Trade Member Lounge started with a disused office space that housed old office furniture. The goal for the project was to provide members with a warm inviting space that they could meet and build relationships. There is comfortable, configurable seating along with a coffee bar and WiFi service to enhance the lounge experience. It’s the perfect place to have an impromptu meeting, start a conversation, or negotiate business in a casual setting.
The multipurpose space allows for casual conversations as well as provides the ability for members to also quickly use one of the workstations to get work done. The member lounge design was initiated to help increase the tangible ROI that members see as part of their membership. The graphic on the window is a translucent window cling of an intersection in the core of the city of Toronto and allows light to penetrate the lounge from the space beyond lending a dynamic quality to the setting.
Turning what was formerly surplus office space was a challenge, however we found a way to work within the client’s extremely tight budget to create a space that members truly value. In fact, there have been several new members who have joined specifically due to the space being available.
Members specifically asked for a space they could meet with potential clients to discuss new business opportunities or a casual place to drop in between meetings in the city. We designed it with several different groupings to serve different requirements, including a custom sectional couch arranged near a flat screen LED TV, flexible seating that can be grouped together for impromptu meetings and a custom furniture installation that houses the workstations.
There are also several units (that we sourced from a large vendor) that hold memorabilia commemorating some of the history of the 160 year old organization.
Members have been thrilled with the results! They describe the space as, “Starbucks, but better!”
