A look inside music promoter Blueprint’s new historic Gastown office (photos)

Both the large and small boardrooms (large boardroom pictured at left) look out onto West Cordova Street and rely on abundant light from the large windows and original exposed brick walls to give them their laid-back ambience.

The kitchen doubles as a flex space for head-office staff to work, as well as for any of Blueprint’s 400-plus venue-specific, mobile and out-of-province staff who may be visiting. With its open concept, TV, bar and ample seating, Prol envisions the kitc

There are few private offices in the space—one belongs to Prol, and features a complete glass front. “I was in the office at 8 a.m. today and I don’t want to leave,” says Prol. “I really enjoy it—there’s just a lot of energy around here.”

After working in secluded offices, departments are now grouped together in the same space. “I think a lot of young people will learn from the older people,” says Prol. “We really try to have a family vibe.”

On top of the third-floor office space is a 1,000-square-foot rooftop patio that Prol plans to renovate for staff breaks and hosting company events.

Blueprint relocates its B.C. staff to Gastown, and under the same roof, for the first time

Amid a busy summer of expanding its business into Alberta and collaborating on the three-day Squamish Valley Music Festival, event/lifestyle/entertainment company Blueprint also managed to consolidate its B.C. team from two separate offices in downtown Vancouver into 3,600 square feet of newly renovated space in a historic Gastown building. In a 50/50 split with a longtime friend and business partner (who is also the landlord at one of Blueprint’s many venues), Blueprint purchased the entire building at 364 Water Street, which includes its Shine Nightclub (closed September 27 for a complete renovation and rebrand) on the lower level.

Blueprint co-founder Alvaro Prol says that over the past year, the team scoured downtown and East Vancouver for a new space, but Gastown’s centrality and vibrant, New York-esque atmosphere fit the company’s needs and gelled with its culture.

Prol expects that putting the head-office team of 35—“a very mixed bag of people”—together for the first time will result in the kind of collaboration and mentorship that wasn’t possible in the former fragmented setup. Departments are now grouped together, and the airy layout, replete with glass walls, gives the office an open-concept feel, while still offering privacy. “It’s going to become a lot more exciting,” says Prol.