Giant Tiger - Distribution Centre

The site also includes a 6,500 sq. ft. truck maintenance building, a pumping station, a security station, and a 44 kW private substation (with a redundant power supply) to meet the site's high electricity demands.

Technology meets user-friendliness

The project team, led by Fernando Lozano, Senior Partner at GKC, designed a site that balances the technical requirements of a distribution centre (in particular, the integration of Canada's first Symbotic warehousing and shipping system comprising 210 autonomous robots) with a human-centred environment that fosters both productivity and the well-being of its 300 employees. 

While the distribution centre prioritizes function over form, the office spaces were thoughtfully designed to combine aesthetics and user-friendliness. 

The team designed a curtain wall punctuated by vertical bands in an irregular pattern to bring the façade to life, while subtly revealing the horizontal subdivisions of the two floors of offices behind it. Serving as the site's focal point for employees and visitors alike, this façade visually conveys the brand's identity, which is both welcoming and forward-looking. It also laid the conceptual groundwork for the company's head office, which was built nearby two years later.

This emphasis on linking the interior and exterior is also reflected in the design of the office atrium, where a monumental glass surface overlooks the warehouse and automated distribution system. The team introduced wood appliqués, light colours and perforated aluminum panels, also used for the staircase and footbridge that connects the two wings of the building, to add warmth and light to the space.

More than a workplace: a living environment

The building's forward-thinking nature is also reflected in the numerous amenities provided for employees. “At the time of construction (2017), most distribution centres were relatively basic, whereas this site includes a commercial kitchen capable of producing takeaway meals for employees, top-of-the-line changing rooms, a laundry room, a large games room, a break room and, of course, modern and functional offices,” says Lozano.

Recycle and reuse

Stone quarried during the construction was crushed on site, then reused for landscaping and to create a large rainwater retention basin that serves as a secondary water reserve for the site's fire protection system, further contributing to its environmental sustainability.