Zendesk Office, Montreal

After the acquisition of Montreal start-up ‘Smooch’, Zendesk sought to upgrade the offices for their new Canadian team. In early 2020, the design and planning of this 26,000 sq.ft. office were well underway when the global COVID pandemic came to turn the way we work in offices completely upside down. As offices around the world were shutting down and employees were working from home, Zendesk decided to cancel the build-out and reconsidering their approach to work, and the role of the office in the years to come.     

This is where the design of studio MRDK and Studio MHA came into being. Reimagining a post-covid office started by a companywide survey which made apparent that people found it easier to do focused work from home but that collaboration, interaction, sharing information and problem-solving were far better achieved in person. This triggered the search for a space half the size of the original office for the same headcount. 

The presence of plants and the focused space of the central garden are key to the integration of health and wellness in the workplace.  A focus on biophilia, natural materials, clean air and good acoustics occurs throughout the space.  This, along with abundant natural light and exterior views, provides a healthy work environment.  Art work further enriches the space, including murals by local Montreal artists.  These elements taken together were key in allowing the project to be both LEED and WELL certified.