Confidential Financial Institution
When a major financial institution was moving to a new headquarters in downtown Toronto, they enlisted Gensler to design their new office spaces. The two-story design included a pantry and a coffee bar on each floor that required 20-foot and 30-foot unique design features as the nucleus of each congregating hub.
These centrally located pantry spaces were accessible to everyone on each floor and provided a space for employees to interact and collaborate while also having the opportunity to relax, socialize, and refuel. Each pantry design included a large central island to house beverage machines and food items with a cluster of pendant lights above to provide direct and indirect ambient illumination over the island. The designer sought a reflective canopy to cast shadows and create an ambiance with a unique lighting element.
ALULA Lighting was brought on board to aid with the lighting design, and Fabbian was brought into the design process to assist in the feature element design. Fabbian’s Polair F36 pendant was selected for use in each cluster based on its shape, size, and unique product design. Polair’s crisp, clear glass in a unique conical form includes a frosted bottom that diffuses direct illumination, reflects indirect illumination, and uses a dimmable LED module—just the type of illumination the design required.
The installation was to be the focal point of each pantry and thus needed to mirror the scale of each island. The concept was to create flush-mount bronze canopies that would run the lengths of the islands, 20 and 30-foot lengths; the bronze finish would make a reflective surface above the pendants. Due to the scale of the canopies, Fabbian’s design engineers developed a modular recessed mounting system that would enable the bronze plates to sit flush on the ceiling with minimally visible seams and mounting hardware while supporting the weight of the plate and the pendants without sagging.
The result was two installations with 20-foot canopies made of 4 components with 24 pendants and two with 30-foot canopies made of 6 components with 36 pendants. The installations provide a focal point for both interior and exterior views.
Fabbian’s ability to customize existing products and create site-specific bespoke solutions ensures that designers’ visions can be met. This adaptability provides a sense of reassurance, knowing that Fabbian can cater to the specific design needs of any project.
