Vancouver BC - An innovative design that promotes cultural harmony and environmental sustainability is at the heart of a new workspace created for the junk removal company 1-800-Got-Junk? Designed by the award winning architectural practice of Bunting Coady Architects, the new 40,000-square-foot offices, known as the Junktion, incorporate the harmonizing elements of earth, water, fire, plant, air/wind and metal to create a healthy and productive working environment.
Studies have shown that blending natural elements into the workspace can positively enhance psychological well being, thereby helping to reduce stress and increase employee productivity. The new 1-800-Got-Junk? head office contains many features emphasizing the importance of the relationship between people and nature. These include:
- An open plan design using few doors. This provides staff with maximum access to natural daylight as well as spectacular water and mountain views over the city's historic Stanley Park.
- A state-of-the-art glass and metal staircase, linking earth to sky, connects all three floors in the Junktion and emphasizes the harmony between people and places that is a focal point of the design.
- Glass tiles are used to symbolize a babbling brook and large rocks in the eighth floor lobby provide a distinctive seating area for staff and clients. Symbolic planting provides a sense of harmony, peace and good fortune.
- A circulation path, signified by wood flooring and wood-colored carpet, represents the forest path in a West Coast rainforest and firmly links this successful international company to its Pacific Northwest roots.
- Wall and banner graphics, designed by Junktion staff, highlight the company's core philosophy: "It's All About People."
Brain Scudamore, founder and CEO of 1-800-Got Junk?, is enthusiastic about the company's new head office. "Communication and culture are the two key components of our company. Our new space facilitates open communication and creates a setting that is truly conducive to our energetic and enthusiastic culture."
A strong commitment to the environment is reflected throughout the office space, which is located in Vancouver's Guinness Tower. The wood flooring, prominent throughout, is constructed from fallen tree branches collected from sustainable managed forests. The broadloom and carpet tiles are CRI Green Label certified for VOC emissions and contain no PVC. The existing cabinetry, interior wall glazing, doors, door frames and door glazing have all been reused or reclaimed during demolition.
Teresa Coady, principal of Bunting Coady Architects, led the design team for this project and is confident that the Junktion will be an inspirational place to work. "We incorporated natural elements indigenous to the West Coast as touchstones common to all people and all cultures, making visitors and staff feel welcome and comfortable. In addition, this is a truly international space in its modern, simplistic and clean design."
About Bunting Coady Architects
Bunting Coady Architects (www.buntingcoady.com ) is an innovative, full-service, architectural practice based in Vancouver, British Columbia. With a reputation for creating high-performance buildings and sustainable architecture, its avowed design philosophy is to create living breathing buildings. Ranked the seventh largest architectural firm in BC, Bunting Coady Architects has won more than 50 awards for design quality and building performance since the company was established in 1994. It is the only practice to have won the BOMA Earth Award four times and has more square footage of LEED® Gold certified projects than any other architectural firm in North America
About 1-800-Got-Junk?
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping people remove junk, de-clutter, and live cleaner, better lives. Whether it's an old sofa or a pile of junk in the garage, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? will remove it for you. Founded in 1989, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has more than 280 franchise locations in North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom and currently recycles and donates up to 60 percent of the junk it removes from homes and businesses. For more information, visit www.1800gotjunk.com or contact Tania Hall, public relations manager for 1-800-GOT-JUNK?: (604) 638-4412 or [email protected].