Remote work has permanently changed what a condo needs to deliver. Here's how to find pre-construction floor plans with real workspace — and buildings designed for how people actually work today.
The pandemic permanently reshaped how Canadians use their homes — and pre-construction builders have responded. The den, once a storage room afterthought, has become one of the most sought-after features in Ontario's new condo market. Understanding what a "den" actually delivers (it varies enormously by building), which buildings have purpose-built workspace amenities, and how to evaluate floor plans for real work-from-home functionality is now essential knowledge for any buyer whose job involves a laptop and a video call.
The word "den" in a condo floor plan can mean many different things, and the range is wider than most buyers expect. Before you purchase a unit marketed as having a den, confirm which type it is:
✓ True Den — Enclosed Room
A walled room with a door (or doorway). Provides genuine acoustic separation for calls, privacy for clients, and the ability to close off your workspace at the end of the day. 80–120 sq ft is typical. This is what remote workers need.
⚠ Flex Space — Open Nook
An alcove or open area within the living space, sometimes with a partial wall or column. Provides dedicated space but no acoustic separation — your calls go into the living room. Better than nothing, but not a functional home office for video calls or client meetings.
✗ Oversized Closet
Some builders market spaces as "dens" that are essentially large closets — 40–55 sq ft with no window, no ventilation, and insufficient clearance for a desk and monitor. Always ask for the den dimensions and confirm natural light availability.
Ask for the Den Dimensions
Before signing for any unit marketed with a den, ask your agent for the floor plan with dimensions. A den under 65 sq ft with no window is not a functional workspace. A den of 90+ sq ft with a window and a door is genuinely useful. The difference is in the numbers.
Beyond the den itself, there are floor plan features that make a condo more or less functional as a work-from-home environment:
Ontario's newest pre-construction buildings have added co-working amenities as a direct response to hybrid work patterns. These vary significantly by building but the best packages include:
📋 Open Co-Working Lounge
A bookable lounge with workstations, high-speed internet, and coffee — essentially a shared office in your building. For days when you need to get out of your suite but not commute downtown.
🎙️ Private Meeting Rooms
Bookable glass-enclosed meeting rooms for client calls, interviews, or team video calls where professionalism matters. A significant upgrade over calls from a kitchen table.
🌐 Enterprise-Grade WiFi
Some newer buildings install building-wide high-speed internet infrastructure — providing faster, more reliable connections than a standard ISP package in the amenity spaces.
🔒 Secure Parcel Rooms
For remote workers who receive frequent deliveries (work equipment, packages), a secure 24/7 parcel room with access codes is a meaningful daily convenience.
For fully remote workers, proximity to downtown Toronto is no longer the primary filter — value, quality of life, and the home environment take precedence. The markets that best combine affordable pre-construction pricing with remote-work lifestyle:
| City | Why Remote Workers Choose It | Condo From |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchener | Tech community, ION LRT walkability, UW energy | $449,000 |
| Barrie | Lake lifestyle, ski proximity, quiet environment, GO when needed | $469,000 |
| Hamilton | Arts community, walkable downtown, affordable | $429,000 |
| Guelph | University town energy, heritage downtown, 75 min GO backup | $489,000 |
| Mississauga | LRT convenience, Square One walkability, urban density | $549,000 |
When you register, tell us your work arrangement. Fully remote buyers have different priorities than hybrid commuters. We'll match you with floor plans that have enclosed dens and buildings with co-working amenities — and filter out buildings where the "den" is a closet.
Tell us what matters to you and our team contacts you within 1 hour with pre-construction projects that match — before they go public.
Or call us:
905-274-3000No obligation · Reply within 1 hour