Thoughtful Buildings and Interiors

Prepare to have some serious office envy. If you are sneakily reading this from your cubicle right now, I suggest you get back to work and revisit this post once you are in the comfort of your own home tonight. Otherwise, you won't want to finish out the day surrounded by those gray walls and that fluorescent lighting.

Thier + Curran Architects Inc. moved in across the street from us at 118 James Street North last month. The building had previously been an eyesore on the street, being almost entirely covered by a corrugated aluminum facade. The ground floor housed my favourite store as a teenager, The Friendship Shop, which was a gift shop full of Sailor Moon, Sanrio and Kogepan novelties. But I had no idea what potential this building had until recently, when it was sold to new owners and renovations began. For starters, three stories of floor to ceiling windows under that aluminum facade.

Bill Curran was nice enough to let me sneak in on Friday to see their newly acquired digs and meet our new neighbours!



What better tenants to have in order to utilize the space than an architect firm? Moving into the entire third floor, they worked with many original features of the building - exposed brick, rafters, tin ceiling, and those incredible hardwood floors - while adding their own modern touches - beautiful tilework, dynamic lighting fixtures and incredible skylights imported from Belgium.

The style is industrial, modern and lofty. And the atmosphere is open, relaxed and conducive to creativity.



The collection of art spans the entire office, as I stumbled across a new piece every couple of steps. There is a heavy emphasis on local Hamilton art, including a Jesse Boles print from his Crude Landscapes series. And if it's not local, it's more than likely Canadian, such as the beautiful chandelier that hangs above their meeting table, from Propellor Design in Vancouver.

Clearly, they strive to be a progressive company who want their employees and clients to be as comfortable as possible in their working environment. In addition to the pleasing workplace aesthetic, it seems as though their attitude towards work is very tolerant of an equal work-life balance. Employees are able to leave early on Friday afternoons. There is a shower stall being installed for those who bike to the office. Because of all the natural light from the huge windows and skylights, they hardly ever turn their main office lights on, in order to save energy. They are doing things bang-on right, you know?



Such good things are happening on this street. In this city. And it looks like TCA is going to have a pretty good view of it all as it happens.