Gravel² is a boutique firm offering legal and strategic advice in the field of labour relations. Composed of specialised attorneys, the firm wanted its offices to reflect the expertise and excellence of its team while expressing its ability to navigate outside the traditional framework of legal services.
The Gravel² law firm got a new look which reflected the organisation’s values. Image credit: Boyer media
The starting point of the Gravel2 project was to redevelop a completely bare floor in a commercial building with a visible skeleton. This new law firm wanted to create a space focused on its core values such as integrity, rigour, excellence and openness. These values are reflected in the space via pure lines, attention to detail, sober and elegant materials, colours and the use of transparency. This working environment is intended to be unifying, friendly, warm, airy, bright and, above all, accessible and respectful of its occupants’ well-being.
Located in Saint-Lambert, Canada, the firm wished to steer clear of the conventional, boring and austere decors that have been so typical of law firms in the past. At the heart of their concerns were the confidentiality of their clients and the creation of a secure place to store client files in order to make the workspace sparse and clean.
As soon as one enters, the glass-panels provide a spectacular view of the city. The focal point of these new offices offers, at first glance, a vision of openness, transparency and vastness. The many windows allow daylight to flood the environment.
A welcoming and comfortable lounge sets the tone for clients’ upcoming meeting with their attorneys. The curved wooden path contrasts with the coldness of the glass and follows the shape of the building. It encourages visitors to meander into the heart of the office, providing an illusion of vastness in otherwise compact and functional spaces. A wide strip of walnut overflows into each of the work alcoves. It connects them, like a thread running through the bright white rooms.
A touch of orange, lifted from the company’s logo, is cleverly scattered throughout the premises, fusing with the wooden hue of this high-end walkway.
A large centralised archiving area, hidden from view, removes the clutter from each office, enhancing the effect of vastness. Worktables and individual storage spaces are also free of clutter.
The premises’ attributes proved ideal for ergonomic offices with large surfaces as well as large, slim and discreet storage spaces. Modernism is everywhere, embodied by the numerous glass panels.
In the centre of the premises, the conference room is distinguished by a more enveloped volume, its shell leveraged to ensure client confidentiality during meetings. The offices, located all around, reflect the city’s dynamism with their views of the main street. The contemporary design of the final creation conveys the image of a creative, dynamic and committed team.
