TRIUMPH OF FINE DESIGN Roots wins two major awards for its Head Office
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Don’s head. At espite its the time, the vital role in company’s adthe daily life ministrative, of Roots, reladesign and suptively few employport staff were ees in Canada and scattered in the United States four separate have ever set foot buildings, each in the Head Office with their own in Toronto. The culture and litsame is true for tle interaction most customers, between them. suppliers and With the leases friends of Roots on some of the for whom 1400 buildings set to Castlefield Avexpire, Don and enue is just an Michael deaddress in Tocided to conronto. solidate the Thanks to two four operations recent design into a large, awards, it’s far new unified more than just an space. Eventuaddress. In sepaThe reception area at 1400 Castlefield sets the tone for what awaits people at the Roots headquarters ally, they chose rate award cera rundown inemonies earlier dustrial buildthis month, both the AssociaClothes design (womenswear, of the business and are an ining a five-minute drive south tion of Registered Interior Demenswear, babies, accessotrinsic part of the company’s of the Roots leather factory as signers of Ontario (ARIDO) ries); finance; general adminisculture. the company’s future home. and the American Society of tration; advertising/marketing; The Head Office is the hub Don assumed responsibility for Interior Designers (ASID) paid and nerve centre of Roots. It’s communication; graphic detribute to the Roots headquarsign; visual/mer- the project which involved where you most transforming a 1938 windowters, honouring it as an exemchandising; feel the pulse less former factory into a modplary work environment. Such business-toand passion ern, light-filled, employeerecognition was especially business/wholethat drive the friendly environment true to gratifying for Roots Cosale; human recompany forthe values and aesthetics of Founder Don Green who sources; ward. Virtually Roots. shepherded the project to fruioutsourcing; anything and “Given the size and scope tion, overseeing the planning website and eeverything conof the project and seeing the and design decisions from the commerce; renected to the initial condition of the buildbeginning. tail operations; company is ing, it required a far-reaching The Roots world headquar- ultimately disoutlet operavision of how the space could ters is a model of how a well tions; resource cussed, debated be transformed,” says Don. thought out head office can protection; liand resolved at “But in many ways, my apmotivate employees, greatly censee operathe Head Ofproach was no different than enhance their day-to-day protions; Roots fice. Every asany other design project I’ve fessional reality, and make Home Design; pect of the been involved in before, their work more pleasurable, information business — whether it be a piece of Roots more efficient and more protechnology; and short of the outerwear, planning a store or ductive. Today, nearly two actual manufac- A view of The Hub from above maintenance. It packaging. It’s all about the years after moving into 1400 also houses the turing, distribudetails. Details and aesthetics Castlefield, it’s hard to imagoffices of Don and fellow Cotion and retail sales of prodhave always been of the utine Roots without such Founder Michael Budman. ucts — takes place at 1400 premises. They have become Three years ago, the current most importance to Michael Castlefield. It’s home to the Continued on next page essential to the smooth running following departments: reality was a mere dream in Issue 58 - October 12, 2006
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