Manulife Financial Head Office view looking down into the lobby and out from the elevator
 Manulife Financial Head Office lounge area 3
Manulife Financial Head Office shared work and meeting spaces
Manulife Financial Head Office shared work and meeting spaces
Manulife Financial Head Office shared work and meeting spaces
Manulife Financial Head Office shared work and meeting spaces
Manulife Financial Head Office shared locker rooms
Manulife Financial Head Office shared desk area
Manulife Financial Head Office shared desk area
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Manulife Financial Head Office Renovation

A day in the life of an employee at Manulife Financial’s Head Office is anything but business as usual.

Martin Simmons Sweers Architects, together with interior designers Figure 3, led a design and construction team tasked with the major renovation to the Manulife 1980s Canadian head office in Waterloo. The result is a building that offers a more efficient use of space, a stronger connection to the surrounding environment, and a totally new way of working for over 2,700 employees and visitors.

At the start of each day, employees visit a locker area to drop off personal effects and retrieve work items and head to a desk of their choice. That’s right - at this office 70% of employees are not assigned seats. Employees can meet around coffee tables in the ‘pantry' on their floor, set up shop in soft seating areas, head to a study carol or focus room for some quiet space, or work near different teams each day depending on their collaboration needs.

A creative renovation made the cafeteria the ‘town commons’ of the head office community. Different ‘stations’ offer lunch, snack, and after hours dining options, while an improved connection to the outdoors encourages employees to enjoy a break or meal on the outdoor terrace. This leads to pathways around the onsite pond and to city trails. The new landscaping includes ‘pods’ along landscaped walkways to encourage socializing and outdoor working, as desired. An additional multipurpose area provides space for game, movies, and group exercise.

Interior design services in partnership with Figure3.
300,000 sq. ft.
Waterloo, Ontario
Interested in this project or working with MSS?
Please contact Partner Jason Martin.

“Part of the reason we were able to deliver this project on such a tight schedule was that we were their ‘on-call architect’. As a local firm, we could be on-site in 15 minutes to investigate construction challenges and have impromptu meetings with the contractor and client. That’s how we were able to adapt to the project’s changing needs.”

Greg Piccini
Architect, Martin Simmons Sweers Architects

“The 100-person steering committee at Manulife was blown away with the design MartinSimmons and the team came up with. We also had a company-wide Yammer site, and staff all said they loved the new space and it made them excited to come to work in the morning.”

Ed Fasan
Project Manager (former), Manulife Financial

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