Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) is a leading institutional investor managing funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. With a diverse portfolio and significant global presence, CDPQ focuses on long-term investment strategies across various industries. The company’s Paris office serves as a crucial hub for their European operations, necessitating a vibrant space that embodies local culture and has the right amount of space to house their growing team.
The CDPQ Paris office is situated in a prime location in the heart of the city, making it the perfect hub for their team. However, due to growth in their team, the single floorplate office they were in had become too small to cater for the needs of their existing and new talent. A space became available on the ground floor of the same building they are in, opening up an opportunity to expand their facilities without the upheaval of having to relocate to a larger space. The biggest challenge however with this ground floor space was there being a lack of natural light compared to their other floor, given that it is on the ground floor surrounded by other tall buildings.
We partnered with Habit Action to reimagine the layout, design to uplift the space and create a hub that complemented the aesthetic of their other floor. We quickly identified an opportunity to improve the flow of the space and the presence of natural light by opening up the space, lifting the ceiling hight and replacing solid walls with glass partitioning. By opting for natural tones and textures in the furniture and finishes, this has helped to lighten and brighten the space too.
A key design feature of this space was displaying a full height painting specifically selected from CDPQ’s art collection, to maximise it’s impact and bring the space to life. This artistic masterpiece now hangs on the end wall of the main boardroom, adding sophistication and intrigue to the space.
The space has now taken on a completely new look and feel, giving CDPQ the ability to house their growing team in a space that reflects the upper floor office.
