Cool offices in Vancouver: You'll seriously find sheep at Smart Design (PHOTOS)

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An unconventional design team’s office should be a little offbeat. 

Smart Design meets that mark with its new office located inside Vancouver’s acclaimed Pacific Central Station. It’s a full-service design firm that works with people and companies from all over the world – from Vancouver to New York, London to Abu Dhabi, and more.

But back to the train station – yes, it really is adjacent to the tracks that represent so much of our city’s rich history. Breeze through those front doors in the pursuit of Smart Design’s unconventional open space, and you’ll feel like you’re smack dab in the middle of Harry Potter’s famous train station scene.

See also

• Cool Offices in Vancouver: Expedia drops anchor with nautical office (PHOTOS)
• Cool offices in Vancouver: Inside the dream headquarters of Eventbase (PHOTOS)
• Cool offices in Vancouver: McCarthy Tétrault's open space defies stuffy law firm stereotype (PHOTOS)

In other words, you know there’s something cool close by –  you just can’t see where it is. At least until the security guard points you in the right direction.

Company: SmartDesign Group
Employees: 30
Designer: Jill Danis 
Size: 5,700 sq. ft.
Location: 102 – 1150 Station Street

Smart Design’s old office on Burrard and 5th was older, regimented, and standard. The new office is the exact opposite, incorporating everything from plastic sheep to quirky graphics on the wall. It’s positively bizarre.

“A lot of our work is related to travel, so the train station was natural for us,” says SmartDesign Group employee and designer, Jill Danis. “It’s funny because in a train station people come and go, but when they come here, they stay.”

In the open concept communal kitchen and lounge you’ll find the quirky custom graphics and Marquee-inspired can lettering showcasing the name of the central area, “Moody Cow.” The name comes from a popular pub found in the UK.

The smart lounge area features 3D lettering in the form of “Super, Smashing, Lovely,” the owner and creative director’s favourite three words.

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Smart Design’s new office space has benefited the company in several different ways. Work morale has improved, the team eats lunch together, and, overall, they’re more collaborative than ever before.  

“Smart’s DNA is all about humanism. We write about it, design it and shout about it, so we need to also live it,” says Smart Design CEO and Creative Director Nick Baker.

“It is a totally unconventional, anti-corporate environment – a space without boundaries, a happy place.”

It’s no wonder that this office design has been such a hit. After all, sheep are magical.

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Have a cool office that you think should be featured? Email [email protected] and we’ll consider your nomination.

See also

• Cool Offices in Vancouver: Expedia drops anchor with nautical office (PHOTOS)
• Cool offices in Vancouver: Inside the dream headquarters of Eventbase (PHOTOS)
• Cool offices in Vancouver: McCarthy Tétrault's open space defies stuffy law firm stereotype (PHOTOS)

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