JALON: EXPRESSING A POINT-OF-VIEW

Jalon is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provoke and accompany innovation and changes in practice to make mobility more sustainable. As a young company working in the areas of collective mobility, urban logistics and urban planning, it was important for us to contribute to the shift towards sustainable mobility by imagining the design of their new offices, in the heart of the Old Port of Montreal.

Our approach was to use the space as a way for Jalon to literally share its point-of-view with visitors. As its name suggests, Jalon is a marker, a point in time where today’s achievements will be measured against tomorrow’s to determine how much progress has been made.

In terms of the design, this progression is clearly apparent from the get-go. From the picturesque facade of the historical grey stone monolith, guests walk in to discover a modern display of metal, glass and brick adorned with lively and modern design elements.

The objective was to conceptualize a work environment adapted to the different realities of office design and, above all, to promote a versatile and dynamic environment that facilitates communication. The private call booths and the famous orange cocoon offer unique rest areas while the dark purple podium, placed in the heart of an open and dynamic office area, reflects the company's spirit of gathering and uniqueness. Also, the theme of mobility is expressed in the flexibility of daily work, which is ensured by various ergonomic options such as tables and chairs of different heights. We believe that those who change our world need places of creation, innovation and action that resemble them, and this is what we wanted to offer them.

The graphics of the space were to serve as a promotional element, right in the work areas. The orange guideline, highlighted with pictograms, provides visual consistency, and supports the company's brand image. It also acts as a thread throughout the floor, but also as a skyline, giving life to the designed elements. It creates a panorama of an active city and provides essential information on the function of a space. Moreover, the large glass surfaces required security signage, so we decided to treat them as a support for the identification of the rooms, all combining security, practicality, and aesthetics. The meeting room is lined with a frosted film at mid-height, ensuring confidentiality while letting light through. The pictorial language designed was sublimated to assert a corporate culture and foster a sense of belonging.

Imagining the offices of tomorrow for a local company mainly means putting forward Quebec products, which considerably reduces Jalon's environmental impact. It is in this spirit that we have encouraged the specification of local products such as those from Luminaire Authentik, EDP, and Artopex, to name a few.