Lighting a Modern Workspace with Ventrix

CASE STUDY: Learn How Strategic Lighting Can Enhance Your Client's Experience

Project Overview

Graphic Office Interiors, a leading office design and furnishings company on Vancouver Island undertook a lighting modernization project for its own showroom and office in Saanichton, British Columbia. The project brought together Graphic Office Interiors’ in-house designer, Laura Harlos, and Mac’s II Agencies. The objective was to create a highly functional, visually appealing workspace that showcased the company’s innovative office solutions while enhancing the client experience through advanced lighting design.

The Challenges

Preserving Sound-Controlled Boardroom Performance

The boardroom was designed using Graphic Office Interiors’ signature sound-controlled construction methods. Traditional lighting approaches, such as multiple recessed fixtures or troffers, would require numerous ceiling penetrations that could compromise the room’s acoustic integrity.

Creating Comfortable, Glare-Free Illumination

The boardroom’s layout included a large display monitor used for presentations and video conferencing. The lighting needed to eliminate glare and reflections while maintaining a comfortable environment for occupants.

Accurate Presentation of Materials and Finishes

In the sample and presentation areas, designers and clients regularly review fabrics, finishes, and material samples. Lighting needed to accurately render colors and textures, ensuring informed design decisions.

Balancing Functionality and Aesthetics

The lighting solution had to provide effective task and ambient illumination while remaining visually unobtrusive and complementing the overall architectural design.

The Solutions

Sample Area Lighting Design

A 19-foot Ventrix track system was installed above the sample drawer displays to enhance material evaluation and product presentations, featuring:

• High CRI (90+) lighting that accurately revealed fabric colors, textures, and finish variations.
• Wide beam distribution that illuminated the full, 4-foot depth of the sample cabinets.
• A black fixture finish that visually disappeared against the black accent wall, allowing architectural elements and display features to remain the focal point.

Boardroom Lighting Design

To minimize ceiling penetrations and protect the room’s acoustic performance, the team selected the WAC Lighting Ventrix linear system. They configured it in a suspended U-shape above the boardroom table to provide:

• Indirect uplighting that directed light toward the ceiling for comfortable illumination
• Reduced monitor glare and reflections for better presentations and video conferencing.
• Dual-circuit design combining ambient uplighting with integrated Stealth micro downlights for task lighting.

Workspace Lighting Enhancement A smaller Ventrix unit was installed above an adjacent workspace, using Multi Stealth Downlights to provide high-quality light control with minimal glare, ensuring comfortable customer interactions and clear visibility of samples.

Lighting Analysis and Performance Validation

The design team used lighting calculations and heat mapping throughout the project to optimize fixture placement and light distribution, ensuring:

• Balanced illumination levels averaging 20 to 24 foot-candles, ideal for walking areas and general spaces
• Consistent lighting throughout workspaces.
• Reduced glare and shadowing.
• Confidence that the lighting design met both functional and aesthetic objectives.

The Results 

The project successfully transformed Graphic Office Interiors’ showroom and office environment. Key outcomes included:

• Preserved acoustic performance without compromising lighting quality.
• Comfortable, glare-free lighting for presentations and video conferencing.
• Improved visibility and color accuracy for material reviews.
• Enhanced client experience with balanced, inviting lighting.
• Seamless integration with the overall architectural design.
• A modern, flexible workspace that supports collaboration and productivity.

Beyond enhancing the workspace, the project established a strong foundation for future collaboration between the design and lighting teams.

“Our primary goal for the new presentation lounge and boardroom was to highlight the vibrant array of finishes and materials available and create a comfortable experience for clients and designers. The Ventrix system purposed by Mac’s II Agencies was critical in achieving this.” — Laura Harlos, RID, Graphic Office Interiors Ltd.

Conclusion

The Graphic Office Interiors showroom project shows how the right lighting solution can improve both the look and functionality of a workspace. By combining innovative lighting technology with thoughtful design, the team created comfortable, flexible environments that support collaboration, presentations, and day-to-day work while accurately showcasing materials and finishes. The result is a modern workplace that enhances the experience for employees, designers, and clients alike.

The project’s success demonstrates the value of collaboration, careful planning, and high-performance lighting in creating spaces that are both visually impressive and highly functional.

Project Name: Graphic Office Interiors Showroom, Saanichton, BC

Interior Designer: Graphic Office Interiors

Lighting Consultant: Mac’s II Agencies

Manufacturer: WAC Lighting

Photographer: Brett Ryan Studios

Electrical Contractor: Bridge Systems

Distributor: Nedco