I understand your point in about traditional offices. But that we’re not — we’re home to a community of independent multidisciplinary digital makers who want and thrive in a social workplace.

We have no expectations of our members — who are freelancers and not employees of ours — and seek only to provide a space that accommodates their needs. The work they produce is their own.

The space also serves a community outside of those who work there. In nine months, we’ve hosted close to 100 events related to game development, business development, Web development, community sustainability and food entrepreneurship.

Every part of the space — from light, hard-wearing BluDot tables to easily adjustable Herman Miller SAYL chairs — is considered to allow maximum movement and flexibility to accommodate daytime work and evening events and workshops.

I think it’s important to understand the context of the place as not only designers think of spaces — but people who develop communities and bring people together by listening to what people actually want.

If you’re ever in Toronto, I hope you come check it out for yourself. You may be surprised!

I am all for the physical workplace specifically supporting the tasks to be performed, something very few workplaces accomplish because few designers have a real clue as to what the physical and cognitive aspects of work are all about. Open space does indeed seem to contribute to collaborative interaction, but buying into cheap tables in open spaces only supports one thing: keeping facility costs to a minimum.

It is good that they bought good chairs, and that would be enough if workplace dynamics were a one piece jigsaw puzzle.