See How Raise Commercial Real Estate Uses Canoa

Meet Raise Commercial Real Estate and learn how they use Canoa to design.
Written by
Chelsea Flintoft
Published on
September 18, 2024

Meet Raise Commercial Real Estate

A modern real estate technology and brokerage firm building innovative products and delivering workplace solutions for global clients. They provide high-touch brokerage, project management, and hands-on workplace support to ensure their clients have everything need to find, build, and manage workplaces they love. Their proprietary technology, WorkplaceOS, gives you real-time data and insights into your workplace. From finding and securing space using dynamic, real-time data to managing complex lease portfolios and space utilization, Raise clients interact with real estate like never before.

Raise x CANOA

A leader in revolutionizing technology for commercial real estate, Raise understands the importance of new technology adoption for an industry hungry for new tools that support approachable design, hybrid team collaboration and streamlined procurement. Raise has been early partners of CANOA's design tool and marketplace, not only offering their own customers access to the platform but also utilizing CANOA to design, plan and purchase products for their own offices.

"Utilizing CANOA's platform and it's comprehensive marketplace played a pivotal role in driving our success. It allowed us to swiftly iterate, visualize, and make decisions, considerably shortening the feedback and revision cycles."

- Kyla Brennan, EVP & Head of Project Management

INTERVIEWEES

Raise NYC Office

PROJET DETAILS

Location: 184 5th Ave, Flr 6 NYC

Project timeframe: 4 months

Size: 3,842 sf

A sleek, modern, and neutral lounge space in an office located in Manhattan, designed with Canoa.
Raise_Commercial_Real Estate_5th_Avenue_Office

In conversation with Kyla Brennan EVP & Head of Project Management and Sergio Espriella, VP, Workplace Client Experience

Kyla Brennan and Sergio Espriella

Q: What was the goal or guiding principles behind this space?

A: The primary goal behind our space was to cultivate a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere, fostering meaningful interactions and a sense of belonging for internal team members and clients alike. We wanted to emphasize an environment that places collaboration at the forefront yet provides a warm and inviting experience.

Q: How did Raise organize their internal team around this project and how or why did you choose to work partners on it?

A: We aimed for a space that would serve as a showroom for our clients. After evaluating various partners, we chose CANOA because they provided the best access to a plethora of furniture options and a dynamic platform that allowed us to lay out and shop through the marketplace in real-time. It was also an opportunity for us to test a novel, innovative solution.

Q: What were the challenges?

A: The main challenges we faced included meeting tight timelines and designing a space that was both functional and impressive.

Q: What (if any) processes during this project were crucial and solved the challenges?

A: Utilizing CANOA's platform and it's comprehensive marketplace played a pivotal role in driving our success. It allowed us to swiftly iterate, visualize, and make decisions, considerably shortening the feedback and revision cycles.

Q: If applicable, was CANOA able to solve these challenges?

A: Absolutely. With CANOA’s platform and their hands-on approach, we could navigate the challenges more effectively, from furniture selection to space layout.

Q: What was the collaboration process like with CANOA?

A: It was truly exceptional. The CANOA team was highly responsive and always ready to engage, whether it was a call or making live changes to the floorplan. Their hands-on approach, combined with their team of furniture design professionals, ensured we achieved the right sizing and optimal configuration.

Q: Which aspects of working with CANOA did you find the most helpful? Or the most surprising?

A: Their platform and marketplace were game-changers. It made the layout and selection processes much smoother than traditional methods.

Q: If any, what comparisons can be made in terms of your company’s previous experiences when it comes to designing, procurement, and opening up new spaces to how it was done with Raise and CANOA?

A: In past experiences, there were longer feedback loops and more rounds of revisions. With CANOA, we could work live with the team and experts, which greatly reduced delays and made decision-making more fluid.

Q: Did CANOA improve this process for you? If so, how?

A: Definitely. The rapid iteration of space design and the ability to visualize options and make modifications swiftly made a significant difference.

Q: For this project overall, what were your main takeaways?

A: Our primary takeaway was the value of a platform that simplifies the design process. Being able to visualize layouts and proposed furniture pieces was a robust tool for gaining buy-in and feedback. It allowed for more stakeholders to be involved in the decision-making, which fostered a broader consensus.

Q: How did working with CANOA help you to optimize or enhance your goals for this space?

A: The collaboration yielded remarkable results that surpassed our initial expectations. The space now boasts exceptional functionality, effectively catering not only to our team's needs but also seamlessly accommodating a range of events, including hackathons, presentations, and various gatherings. This enhanced versatility exceeded our original vision for the space.

Q: Did any additional partnerships or projects come out of this project?

A: Based on our positive experience with CANOA, we now confidently recommend them. We're actively suggest their services to our clients, and foresee more collaborative projects in the future.

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