Saatchi & Saatchi Project Takes Fifth Award

TORONTO, ON, Sept. 13, 2008 – The redesigned Canadian headquarters of Saatchi & Saatchi, one of the biggest icons of the ad agency world, has taken a remarkable fifth award for renowned designer Bartlett & Associates. The Toronto-based firm created a brilliant loft-style space in a conventional office tower that has reenergized Saatchi Canada’s culture and driven them to new heights of success while remaining a budget-driven project.

The latest award, the Lester Dundes 2008 award from the prestigious IIDA out of New York City, recognizes Saatchi for Best Commercial Project Under 50,000 Sq. Ft. The previous awards for Saatchi were “Best of Competition 2008” from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), an Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) award and two Best of Canada awards.
“Seven out of nine client presentation wins is pretty good,” enthuses Brett Channer, chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi Canada, about the stunning record of successes enjoyed by the storied agency in its newly redesigned headquarters.

IIDA judges commented that they loved “the playful deer head in the reception area” and the “scaffolding [used] to create workstations.” While noting that the arched canopy in the reception area made it feel like a lounge and that there was a “great use of materials and lighting,” the judges added that the space still felt expensive while being budget-driven and that the project had a sense of humor.
Saatchi wanted to reinforce its creative, global brand by infusing it with local character, encouraging teamwork and creating more of a Saatchi community. The project showcases how various design icons and symbols, including the notably visual Saatchi Lovemark, can be interwoven into a powerful design statement. A tight budget further encouraged an exceptionally creative design solution.

The exhibition space is defined by scaffolding that plays a dual role as the backbone of custom-designed workstations. The geometry of the scaffolding provides an architectural rhythm to the space, reflecting Saatchi’s dynamic flow of creative ad concepts for clients. The layout encourages collaboration and teamwork, allows for impromptu meetings, and imparts a hip sense of energy to the open work space.

Giving the space a “Canadian” feel was important to Saatchi and key to the Bartlett redesign. A sculptured metal deer head mounted on a forest motif wall of rough wooden slats and dogwood branches in window planters grounded the “Made in Canada” nature theme. The prominent beer tap in the corridor to the Pitch Room adds another distinctly Canadian statement.

Bartlett & Associates Ltd. has a strong body of work dating back 25 years. Specializing in corporate, hotel and restaurant interiors, Bartlett & Associates’ projects have included Inco ISP, Vale Inco, George Weston Limited, Burgundy Asset Management (Toronto & Montreal), Marsh Canada, Magna, UBS, Torys, Royal Bank, Arthur Andersen, Hong Kong Trade Development Centre, Gaspe Salmon Lodge, Brownes Bistro and others.