Amid the maze of grey, boxy office spaces in downtown Ottawa lies an oasis of good design that brings the outdoors in and creates a welcoming and flexible environment for staff. Centrally located on Sparks Street in the Podium Building, this office space is the headquarters of Burovision Ottawa, a single-source commercial interiors partner for contract furniture, construction, project management and installation services.
Burovision is both a showroom and an office – with features such as floor-to-ceiling windows along three sides of the space and the choice to situate on the second-floor level allows employees and guests to enjoy nature and light from this tree-lined vantage point. The 9,200-square-foot environment is divided into a series of different work or hospitality points across the length of the space, intentionally flowing into one another while demonstrating a variety of work points for individuals and teams to thrive. Burovision is proud to be the exclusive Falkbuilt branch and dealer partner for MillerKnoll in Ottawa. The company tripled the size of its office space in 2023 to accommodate the impressive collective of products and solutions offered by these key supplier partners.
Upon entering the Burovision Plaza through a striking red archway, visitors are greeted by iconic Herman Miller and Knoll pieces such as a walnut and leather Eames Lounge Chair and luxe Saarinen Womb chair, a powerful duo setting the tone for the experience about to unfold in the space. Nearby are Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs, a Bertoia diamond armchair and a Florence Knoll hairpin table, all works from pioneers of modernism that continue to inspire and endure in both commercial and residential spaces. “A lot of our customers want to have iconic, beautiful pieces. Our design heritage is our strength and weaving these heirlooms into a project really makes a memorable statement,” says Gillian Oxley-Harper, president of Burovision Ottawa. 
A place for well-being, connection and change
As we venture farther into the space, a strong cross-section of products from the collective of 15 MillerKnoll brands has been selected for both function and style. The space delivers smart settings that improve work experiences at the individual, group work or community level. Hospitality-oriented lounges and cafés, progressive workstations, high-performance task seating, acoustic pods and accessories and artwork deliver the full complement of design-driven products offered by Burovision. The Plaza captures the feeling of a cool outdoor café, complete with bar, library table, relaxed lounge seating, café dining and even a beautiful tree. Moving through the space we find many different locations to work, conduct research or meetings, socialize or simply sit and think in a calming space while people-watching on Sparks Street. Throughout the space, the colour story is a palette of subdued, earthy tones such as rust, rose, sage green and oatmeal with stronger tones like marigold yellow and Japanese red to bring vibrancy. Warm woods, stone and glass enhance the organic materiality experience. 
Individual work rooms with sliding glass doors or full acoustic pods offer private spaces for heads-down work or video calls. “We created a space that is progressive,” says Oxley-Harper. “The way it is designed, it gives employees the choice of where to work, and how to work to some degree, recognizing that the nature of work shifts during a day for everybody.”
Alexa Schafer, creative strategist at Burovision, reiterates that today’s workplace is a destination that needs to be people-first and supportive of individuals at every level.
“In our downtown Ottawa showroom, we have emphasized innovation and design excellence – all brought to life in a vibrant way like only the products and solutions from our trusted partners, MillerKnoll, d|vision 21 and Falkbuilt can offer,” Schafer says.
And the space is not only for Burovision employees, adds Oxley-Harper, as it is available to clients who may wish to drop in to use it as an office for the day. “The design and commercial real estate communities, as well as local project management firms, might need a space to work for couple hours if they don’t want to work from home that day or are bridging meetings, and they’re welcome to come in and work here and enjoy the space,” Oxley-Harper says.
Workspaces are no longer just an office
There are plenty of amenities for the day, such as a coffee bar, varied meeting and huddle rooms, mobile whiteboards, sit-to-stand desks and state-of-the-art technology for easy connectivity. For every eight people, there is a privacy pod available, ensuring there is always sufficient space for those who need a quiet moment. Meeting room technology platforms deliver equitable experiences for all participants. “With our technology choices combined with our ‘infield and outfield’ seating levels, people who are remote feel that they are part of the meeting, and that inclusivity drives great collaborative exchanges,” says Oxley-Harper. 
Food is always a great connector and the spacious open-area café with oversized quartz island doubles as a dining space or as an area for team members and clients to spread out documents or finishes in a relaxed setting. Next to the café is a bright locker room in marigold yellow, a deliberate design intention to create a welcoming feeling to start or end the workday.
Towards the back of the showroom is the Florence Knoll Study, a peaceful destination curated with vintage design artifacts that serves for meeting, quiet repose or even private dining complete with stunning Florence Knoll dining table in marble and chrome.
The space was designed by Montreal company FOR Design Planning, which leveraged Falkbuilt for all interior construction of walls and millwork. This construction method allowed for high-end finishes and integrated technology, driving design and function in every setting. Smoked-glass meeting room facades, double-glazed private offices and an ingenious Taz retractable glass wall system are proof of the state-of-the-art construction approach that is Falkbuilt. High-performing spaces require deep consideration of acoustic performance, and Burovision achieved this through wall and ceiling baffling in a beautiful cross-section of styles and finishes. 
It is this attention to fine detail that reinforces the space as a flexible yet comfortable area in which to work. Intricate millwork, wood slats and panelling, light boxes with strong brand images and even a massive skylight all contribute to a welcoming yet sophisticated feeling in the space.
“We believe we show a variety of thoughtful solutions that can be used to start the discussion about how our quality products can shape the spaces where people come to work and live in Ottawa,” says Oxley-Harper. “Burovision is committed to Ottawa’s downtown core and will play an active role to encourage its evolution as a destination, with Burovision’s showroom and office as one of the focal points.”
This article first appeared in the September 2024 special “Best Offices Ottawa” issue of the Ottawa Business Journal. That publication is available in its digital edition below.
