MACEWAN UNIVERSITY As with any facility project, Becoming a university in 2009 UNIVERSITY SERVICE CENTRE MacEwan University established mandated a more cohesive approach, and bringing administrative staff EDMONTON, CANADA rigorous cost, schedule and together was the first step. quality goals when it decided DESIGNER: STANTEC ARCHITECTURE to create a new Service Centre “The transition from DEALER: RGO OFFICE PRODUCTS for its administrative staff. college to university EDMONTON LTD. That, however, was just the beginning. meant new challenges for us.”

This new facility was intentionally Brent Quinton, Vice President of Finance planned and designed to meet all and Administration, MacEwan University those goals, and accomplish much Right from the start, the new centre more, too. Since it was founded in was envisioned to be a space that 1971, MacEwan has evolved from a would prompt the culture to become community college to a full-fledged more collaborative, team-based and university serving about 19,000 transparent. Moreover, to achieve students. Throughout decades of a 40-year projected life span, the progress and change, its administrative new facility needed to be what staff worked in mostly traditional and MacEwan director of facilities Stuart often private offices. Moreover, they MacLean calls “future-proof” – a were separated and siloed on four flexible, adaptive space that allows campuses spread throughout the city. occupants to perform their work in relevant ways even as work processes continuously evolve. Finally, there were high standards for sustainability, CUSTOMER an especially strong commitment at MacEwan due to the inspiration of its founder, Dr. J.W. Grant MacEwan, a STORY pioneering environmental advocate. 2

“The transition from college to university transition to new ways of working. In Each of the 10 departments now housed meant new challenges for us,” says Brent the midst of all the change they were in the new Service Centre is located in a “neighborhood” created with c:scape® Quinton, vice president of finance and experiencing, however, it was essential to collaborative workstations. Designed to optimize administration. “As an organization gets engage employees, minimize stress and real estate, c:scape removes visual and social bigger, there are a lot of organizational promote overall wellbeing. barriers, giving people better access to each development issues. We anticipated that other, their information and their technology. The project got an advantageous start we were going to need to adjust and when planners discovered that the new grow.” Like many other organizations facility could be constructed atop an “Bringing in Steelcase was a key operating during an economic existing five-story parkade structure. decision,” says Wayne Nichol, downturn era, however, MacEwan This meant that MacEwan could senior manager of facilities projects. leaders knew their growth strategy create a 5,500 square-meter (60,000 “We knew that, to get it as right as must coexist with budget constraints. square feet) facility for 250 staff we could, change management was It was imperative that staff members members without consuming any needed. We wanted to be very inclusive in start to work more collaboratively with campus grounds space. Because the process. We were looking at the end integrated approaches and faster academic buildings are a top priority game of a very accessible, collaborative, decision-making to help move the in the university’s long-term plans, this open space, but we weren’t sure what that was going to be or how to get there.” organization forward. A new enterprise discovery pointed to a win/win solution. business system would soon be The workshops, observations, interviews, implemented, and many administrators DESIGN surveys and other activities that were transitioning from transactional work Steelcase conducted helped soon- to more analytical, consultative roles. Certain that gaining early engagement to-be occupants of the new Service At the same time, mobile technologies of future occupants could pave the Centre articulate how they wanted to were being introduced to support these way to success, MacEwan contracted work in the future and the fundamentals evolving workstyles. with Steelcase’s Applied Research and of what they wanted to achieve. A new Service Centre clearly presented Consulting team to launch a change “What came out of this was that an opportunity to progress to a new management process and help solidify collaborating should be at the type of workplace to support the staff’s design criteria for the new facility. center of the space and department

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“The centre has met and probably exceeded our expectations. Within weeks after we moved in, you could see people start to get together and use these spaces. Before, you had to set up a meeting room and try to find a time that would work for everybody. It could have taken a couple of weeks, whereas now people just come together,” explains Brent Quinton, vice president of finance and administration, MacEwan University. neighborhoods should be around the SOLUTION centre. Then, two weeks later, a follow-up perimeter,” says Jacqueline McLeod, tour focused on department settings and facilities planner. “Steelcase brought A visit to Steelcase headquarters solidified personal workstations. the expertise of being able to facilitate the furnishing decisions, in particular the selection of c:scape® for all workstations to “For the individual workstations, we did the conversations with staff and leaders groupings of six that were set up exactly and helped us look at our information promote visibility and transparency without blocking outside views and media:scape® how they’d be on the floor, so when we in a different way so that we could toured people they would have a sense of see how to achieve our objectives.” collaboration settings to support sharing digital information effortlessly. relationships and how far they were going The activities that Steelcase conducted to be from their neighbor,” says McLeod. “Visiting Steelcase was about more than also got people excited about new The sequence of the tours was just the furniture. We saw how you could possibilities and the future of MacEwan. intentionally planned as a way for the work in open and shared spaces,” says “The change management process really staff to understand and get excited McLeod. On the way home, the team engaged people, and there was a lot of about the shared “We” spaces before brainstormed what turned out to be a passion,” says Quinton. “When I saw that, they saw the owned “I” spaces. pivotal decision: prepurchase mock ups I thought, ‘Wow…I would really like to that would exactly replicate the various “We wanted to reinforce that they would keep that momentum going.’” environments that would be in the new be getting an entire space including all Working with the information generated, Service Centre. these collaboration areas and also let them know, ‘Oh yes, you’ll also have this Stantec Architecture, a prominent Working cooperatively under the pressure personal workspace for when you need North American multidiscipline of time, the Steelcase/RGO/Stantec/ to concentrate and do heads-down consulting and design firm, joined MacEwan team planned and assembled work,’” she adds. the project. Kathy Johnston-Umbach two extensive mockups. Rather than created an innovative interior design have future occupants walk through the The new Service Centre opened in that incorporated all the key criteria spaces on their own, the team provided May 2011. Each of the 10 departments and initial ideas of the team: guided tours – with no more than 20 now housed there is located in a collaboration at the center, a variety people in each group – so they could “neighborhood” surrounding a large of settings to support diverse work tell the story of the spaces and answer “commons” space in the core. There processes, zones to connect groups, questions effectively. The first tour was are no closed-wall private offices in the and equal access to views, natural light of the meeting spaces and collaboration neighborhoods. The commons offers and fresh air. settings that would be included in the new a shared café, as well as comfortable

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Realizing how important it was for staff to be able to have quick “walk up and connect” experiences that leveraged technology, MacEwan invested in eight media:scape settings for the new centre, some for open areas and others in closed collaboration rooms.

soft seating with a waterfall backdrop being anchored to the front of the room, “Our technology hasn’t quite caught up that makes it an equally perfect place and the furniture can be reconfigured to the space yet, but it will,” she notes. to have a conversation with a co-worker easily to support different activities. or read a lengthy report. A variety of The Service Centre has garnered media attention and attracted many visitors, open and closed meeting spaces are RESULTS also available to increase the appeal a sure sign that it is positioning the and functionality of the space. “The centre has met and probably university positively. exceeded our expectations,” reports “It’s a congregating point, and I “It’s good news for the university to have Quinton. “Within weeks after we moved in, almost think half the business in these people come through and look and get you could see people start to get together departments gets done there,” says Nichol. good impressions,” says Nichol. “We also and use these spaces. Before, you had bring internal groups up to show them Realizing how important it was for staff to set up a meeting room and try to find what it’s like to work in this kind of space.” to be able to have quick “walk up and a time that would work for everybody… connect” experiences that leveraged It could have taken a couple of weeks, technology, MacEwan invested in eight whereas now people just come together.” “The new workplace and a media:scape settings for the new centre, some for open areas and others in closed “The new workplace and a culture of culture of consolidation collaboration rooms. These settings, in consolidation and working together is really and working together is use throughout the day, allow staff to share getting positive results,” agrees MacLean. digital information and contribute their “By giving access to different work really getting positive ideas and information quickly. The more environments and access to people, it’s results. By giving access to building on opportunities to problem-solve.” they’re used, the more they’re loved. different work environments Another progressive use of space in the As more administrators exchange their and access to people, it’s centre is “active learning” classrooms. desktop computers for laptops, the These rooms, which also function as space will likely become even more high- building on opportunities meeting spaces, have a layout that assures performing, say McLeod. For example, to problem-solve.” all projected information can be seen workstation storage needs will lessen from anywhere in the room. Additionally, as workers store their files electronically Jacqueline McLeod, Facilities Planner, presenters can move about freely versus to carry throughout the space. MacEwan University

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According to one occupant, everyone in the new space essentially has a 60,000-square-foot workstation because the whole floor is available for everyone to use.

Quinton notes that by positioning MacEwan as innovative, collaborative and resourceful, the centre has proven to be an advantage for recruiting Employees have smaller personal workstations than they had in their former spaces, but the real new hires, especially the upcoming estate gained has provided for a variety of shared spaces that support a wide range of collaboration, generation. “The younger they are, the learning and socializing activities. more positive they are about it,” he notes. Another attracting attribute: MacEwan has submitted the project for LEED Silver Certification. It demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability with natural lighting, low VOC materials, water conservation measures, a solar-reflective roof and other design features. Energy performance was optimized to reduce consumption by 40 percent. The facility meets MacEwan’s new standard of 19.2 net square meters per person. Employees have smaller personal workstations than they had in their former spaces, but the real estate gained has provided for a variety of shared spaces that support a wide range of collaboration, learning and standards, and give each occupant more STEELCASE PRODUCTS socializing activities. As one occupant choices about where to work and more put it, everyone in the space essentially Privacy Wall advantages than they had before. c:scape® now has a 60,000-square-foot workstation Post and Beam with Duo™ because the whole floor is available for “Because of the smaller workstation Universal storage and tables media:scape® everyone to use. For many residents, environment, we have all these other Think® coming to that realization after just a few amenities – meeting spaces, spaces if Amia® Leap® weeks in the new space dispelled initial you want private time, even showers and i2i® concerns about having a smaller, more changing rooms for people who go jogging Cobi® Alight™ open workstation. at lunch,” says Quinton. “We’re saving on Campfire Big Table space and providing so much more.” Campfire Big Lounge and screens As the project’s executive sponsor, Jenny® Campfire Paper tables Quinton believes this is the best thing Campfire Personal tables about the new Service Centre: It’s made Circa™ Bix® it possible for MacEwan to solve a space Eyesite™ crunch, maintain reasonable space Soto Worktools™

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