25 Water Street Office Renovation

WalterFedy provided architectural and engineering services for renovations to Manulife Financial’s 25 Water Street office in Kitchener, focusing predominantly on the 2nd floor with some elements on the Main and Ground levels. The renovation included a full tenant improvement on the 2nd floor of the building, demolishing the majority of existing elements back to structure and providing a redeveloped work space including open office, meeting rooms, private offices, amenities, servery and kitchen, and all associated program elements. Washrooms and kitchenettes were also provided, and upgrades to the finishes in these areas occurred on the lower levels as well.

In order to ensure the design principles were tailored to Manulife’s specific needs, we engaged in an extensive design consultation process with Manulife leadership and staff, in collaboration with our project partner, Strategy+. We reviewed the current state of the building and assembled a list of likes and dislikes about the space, as well as introduced various design options for review and feedback by the staff who would be using the space. Based on the feedback we received, we then refined a final design that combined innovative solutions, eye-catching design, flexibility, and function.