Spiria Montreal is moving into the new Fabrik8 building!
In June, Spiria Montreal will move to a new office space. No worries though. We’re staying in the bustling Mile-Ex neighborhood where artificial intelligence, video game studios and other major IT players mingle so well. In fact, we’re not going far at all: we’re just crossing Jean-Talon Street to the brand-new Fabrik8 building.
The Fabrik8 concept
Co-founded by Pierre-Antoine Fernet and Vanessa Brochu, Fabrik8 is a shared workspace that welcomes both freelancers and SMEs of all types. The space facilitates synergies between the entrepreneurs who call it home and offers many services to promote the well-being of workers.
Originally located on Saint-Urbain Street, Fabrik8 made a splash by meeting the needs of young, dynamic companies in search of a stimulating work environment. Due to growing demand, it moved to a former industrial building on Waverly Street with a square footage of over 3,000 m2 (32,000 ft2). The space offered teams of 1 to 35 employees several flexible configurations for closed offices and for common areas such as conference rooms, cafeteria, game rooms, and relaxation rooms.
Fabrik8’s meteoric rise didn’t stop there. Its founders set out to build an ambitious 18,600 m2 (200,000 ft2) office complex on the same site, in order to offer unique services to the companies it hosts. The plans for the new buildings were entrusted to the architecture firm of Rocio H. Venegas, who is responsible for the LEED-certified renovation of 7250 Marconi Street, also in the neighborhood, which houses Gameloft Montreal. Construction is taking place in two phases. The first, on Jean-Talon Street, was completed this winter and will welcome Spiria in a few months; the second, on De Castelnau Street, will begin this spring, once all the firms currently housed by Fabrik8 have transferred into the first-phase building.
Lounge and café. © Fabrik8.
The gym. © Fabrik8.
The new complex offers three levels of office space for companies of 1 to 50 people and three levels for larger companies, which have the option of renting an entire, customizable floor (1,765 m2, 19,000 ft2) or only a portion thereof. Its added value is that it complies with WELL certification, which is the first building standard focused on improving the health and well-being of the occupants. To earn this seal of excellence, Fabrik8 and the architect worked on many aspects of the building environment: thermal, acoustical and visual comfort, as well as lighting, air and water quality, among others. What’s more, the overall concept needs to integrate physical activity and healthy eating habits into daily life. A fully equipped sports center in the penthouse, as well as a spacious health-food cafeteria on the ground floor are available and accessible to all tenants, and active mobility is encouraged, with a large, secure bicycle parking space.
The rooftop ice rink. © Fabrik8.
And finally, the cherry (literally) on top... A completely unique feature that sets Fabrik8 apart from all other office buildings: the ice rink on the roof. Yep, you read that right, a real ice rink (Zamboni included), that in the warmer months converts to a multisport surface for basketball, soccer or handball games with colleagues.
Why Fabrik8?
Spiria cares deeply about the well-being of its employees and saw a natural fit with the concepts and values embodied by Fabrik8. By occupying an entire floor, we will enjoy a functional, fun and inspiring work environment that surpasses what most companies can provide. The build-out was entrusted to Ædifica, a design and architecture firm specializing in work environments that has already collaborated with large companies such as L’Oréal Canada, IBM, Air Transat, Bell, CN, Sanofi, WB Games, and others. The choices of furniture, materials, colors and space allocation were made in consultation with a committee of Spiria personnel to ensure that our future offices truly make everyone feel at home, at ease, and free to have fun.
© Ædifica.
All Spirians will enjoy a whole new range of services that our current facilities in the former Kiddies Togs garment factory can’t provide. Covered parking, gym with fitness classes, skating rink, cafeteria, terraces, ultramodern environment… so many new perks that will enhance our quality of life, without any loss of the advantages of the neighborhood that we know and love, like its proximity to the Parc and De Castelnau subway stations for easy access, Jarry Park for airing out our brains or for picnics with colleagues, the best food market in town, microbreweries whose beer list we know by heart, satisfying bowls at Soupson, and much more.
© Ædifica.
Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Do you want to work in an exceptional environment within a company that is no less exceptional? We have many positions currently available, so go ahead and check them out. Perhaps you too will get to stretch out in the atmosphere that Spiria and Fabrik8 have created.
