Gay Lea Foods Toronto

As one of Canada's leading dairy cooperatives, Gay Lea Foods represents more than 1,200 dairy farms across Ontario and Manitoba. With a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and cooperative values, the organization sought to create a workplace that would strengthen company culture, foster productivity and collaboration, and reflect its dedication to sustainability.

Designed by Figure3 and located in Toronto, the design objective of the new office was to create a flexible environment that could comfortably support peak attendance while providing an effective balance of focused work areas, open collaborative settings, and social spaces.

To bring this vision to life, The Collective partnered with Teknion, Studio TK, Alexis Hur Consulting Ltd., alongside respected furniture manufacturers including Spec Furniture, Keilhauer, Blu Dot, Global Furniture Group, Humanscale, Emeco, and Tusch. Together, they furnished 66 open workstations, 20 meeting rooms, a reception area, lunchroom, training room, Genius Bar, 10 collaborative spaces, and an outdoor patio with a comprehensive range of workstations, ancillary furnishings, lounge pieces, and outdoor furniture.

At the heart of the workplace is a centrally located Genius Bar that serves as a vibrant collaboration hub, encouraging connection and knowledge sharing across teams. Complementing this feature is a thoughtfully designed lounge centered around a tree, creating a calming, nature-inspired environment that enhances employee well-being and reinforces connection to nature.

The workplace expresses Gay Lea Foods’ identity through a palette of natural greens, blues, and yellows, reflecting both its Canadian roots and its commitment to environmental responsibility. Sustainability remained a priority throughout the project, with locally manufactured products from Teknion helping reduce transportation-related emissions and sustainable textiles from LUUM Textiles using recycled and upcycled materials.