Catalyst Commons: Launching Canada’s largest co-working space

Project Background

The Mission 

Catalyst Commons is Canada’s largest co-working facility, designed to meet the evolving needs of the modern workforce. Whether it’s providing single desks for remote workers, private offices, spaces for small or large meetings, team retreats, or even large-scale events, Catalyst Commons offers versatile solutions tailored for today’s hybrid work environment. With flexibility at its core, Catalyst Commons serves businesses of all sizes by offering tailored spaces that support productivity and collaboration. 

As the space was being built from the ground-up, so was the brand. Catalyst Commons trusted us to bring their epic vision to life, knowing they needed a partner who could truly capture the energy and innovation of their incredible space. They partnered with Stryve to create branding and a website for go-to-market that would do justice to the awe-inspiring environment they were building. In November 2020, amid a global pandemic, Catalyst Commons opened its doors, formally launching the brand we had designed together.

The Outcome 

• Created a logo that’s accessible, easy to use, and visually representative of Catalyst Common’s offerings and values.  

• Created the first set of brand guidelines giving Catalyst Commons a clear framework for promoting their space and creating net new materials.  

• Designed a website for go-to-market so Catalyst could effectively promote their space and engage with their target market.

The Impact 

• Our design work established a strong sense of continuity between the physical space and its digital presence, ensuring that the branding elements reflected the atmosphere of the facility.  

• Positioned Catalyst Commons as a unique co-working space where aspiring entrepreneurs of all sizes can collaborate, build connections, and foster a sense of community 

The Project

Beginning with strategic discovery questions, we learned about the value Catalyst Commons aimed to provide the community. Created by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, the goal was for this workspace to become a supportive vibrant community where ideas flourish. Located by many tech incubators and companies, the space aimed to give home to ideas and idea-makers. With inclusion, collaboration and togetherness being feelings resonating through the space, we wanted to include those feelings in our design work. 

Capturing the feel of a space in a logo

We designed many logo variations exploring shape, colour, type, complexity, and abstractness. Through collaborative feedback with the Catalyst Commons team, we carefully refined a select number of concepts that aligned with their vision. 

The final logo presents a familiar, geometric, and modern aesthetic nodding to the facility’s location inside Catalyst137 that is home to many tech companies. The wordmark uses a clean, sans-serif typeface that feels both friendly and professional. The “Catalyst” name is kept in uppercase for continuity with the existing Catalyst137 brand, while “commons” is emphasized in lower case, creating a feeling of friendliness and approachability which is what the space embodies in its offering of inclusivity and collaboration. To reinforce this feeling, we reduced the spacing between the letters in “commons,” bringing the characters closer together to evoke a sense of togetherness.

The accompanying icon that sits with the wordmark carries layers of meaning in a simple, multi-dimensional form. Building on the recognizable hexagon shape of Catalyst137, we evolved it into a 3D cube-like structure to add depth and openness. This structure subtly incorporates two “C”s, speaking to both the name and symbolizing a shared workspace. The strong, clean lines form rhombus shapes that suggest four walls converging to create a room—a nod to the facility’s collaborative environment. While Catalyst Commons is a distinct brand, the icon pays homage to the hexagonal design elements used within the Catalyst137 building where it’s located. 

A black and white colour scheme was chosen to simplify use for the Catalyst Commons team, ensuring versatility across various applications. 

Creating a website to launch the space

Drawing inspiration from the facility’s interior design and mood boards created by their interior design agency, we crafted visuals that seamlessly integrated with the physical environment. We focused on complementing the shapes, patterns, and colours of the space to ensure the branding resonated with the promise of the atmosphere.  

The colour palette, modules and shapes were all inspired by the textures, colours, decor and finishings that were going to be applied into the space. With the space heavily inspired by nature, we extended those colours from the facility into the brand guidelines. The photography and textures paid homage to Scandinavian styles. 

A brand where physical and digital meet

By partnering together, we helped Catalyst Commons establish a strong brand identity that captured the essence of what they offer. Through an accessible logo, comprehensive brand guidelines, and a cohesive website, we helped Catalyst Commons make a memorable market entry and establish a foundation for long-term success. 

Our work ensured that the branding felt seamless with the physical environment, creating a cohesive experience from the moment someone walks into the facility to when they interact with the brand online. As Catalyst Commons continues to grow and support the evolving needs of the modern workforce, their brand stands as a testament to their values of inclusion, collaboration, and innovation—a true catalyst for great ideas.