Saskatchewan farmers founded Co-operators (COOP) in 1945. Though rooted in prairie history, the insurance and financial services cooperative sought a new space that captured their community spirit and culture while being a tech-enabled flexible work environment that served contemporary needs.

The build-out included a second-floor café for employees, meeting and collaborative spaces, and a print shop. While working towards the completion date, consultants designing the kitchen and second floor experienced a delay in securing permits, which created risk in the schedule. We worked with Co-operators and the consultants to host a meeting with the permit facilitator from the City of Regina. In doing so, the consultants secured the permits and the scheduled start date was preserved. 

Construction of the second-floor employee café required us to core approximately 45 locations into the floor for plumbing and electrical rough-ins. Careful attention was needed to avoid penetrating rebar or beams. Through laser scanning and close collaboration with the structural and mechanical engineers, we ensured all café systems met operational requirements without jeopardizing the structural integrity.  

COOP’s staff has had positive feedback on the new layout, particularly the consultative spaces that extend throughout the building and the backlit, laser-cut suspended ceilings that showcase each elevator lobby.