Environmental Branding – Signage That Tells A Story

Corporate office design and layout isn’t always recognized for the important part it plays in telling the story of a brand’s values and mission. From the art collections on display to furniture color and style, the way an office presents to employees and visitors has huge impacts on office productivity and the messages a brand sends about itself. The consultants at Design Art Group know how vital it is to take into account a company’s values and desired type of environment when it comes to designing an office space.  

Client Needs

A client hired us earlier this year to provide creative solutions for branding a new office environment. This client had recently acquired corporate headquarter space in Chicago and wanted the physical design to match the company’s ethos. Ultimately, the client needed our consultants to design the art in its new, undeveloped space with a nod towards the company’s general core values in order to create a cohesive, effective, and productive work environment.

Our Process

First, we worked with the client to determine its goals for the project. We also talked with top-level management at the company to pinpoint the values and type of company atmosphere they thought were most important for our consultants and designers to keep in mind. Through these conversations, we found out the company we were hired by specializes in the production of high-quality convenience foods. Company leaders sent over a brand book that included a list of the company’s history, core values, and color swatches. We quickly became proficient in its mission statement and let that inform the rest of our process.

After we pinpointed the client’s needs, goals, values, and company branding, we went to work curating an art collection that included original photos. There were about 125 different art aspects that our consultants identified as things that would promote cohesion across the office. To help address some of these aspects, we brought in our own professional photographer to create original images and supplied handcrafted bamboo frames to enhance the aesthetics of the space.

Throughout the process, we collaborated with a general contractor and furniture designer to address all of the client’s needs. We had multiple conversations with these other parties from start to finish, ensuring that each part of the client’s office design would be branded similarly to work in tandem and project uniform brand messages. When Design Art Group consultants designed original wall art for the client, we did so with the furniture in mind — we even created art in the lunch area which mimicked nearby furniture fabric.

Results

Overall, we were able to create a branded corporate headquarters space marked by cohesiveness and accurate brand narratives. Our installation focused on the interior elements, curated art, signage, and graphics needed to promote a culture that encourages success by creating a productive and effective workspace environment. Areas we helped design for this particular client included an ideation lounge, conference rooms, private offices, a dining area, and individual phone rooms. By incorporating the client’s history with its core values and goals, Design Art Group elevated the employee and customer experience.