In the realm of brand storytelling, your workspace has a profound impact on the perception of your business. Effective brand storytellers recognise the office as more than just a physical space, but as a strategic tool to visually and experientially communicate your brand story.
Each element of workplace design, from location, signage and lighting to floor plan and artwork, contributes to the narrative of your brand.
It’s well known that workplace design has a significant impact on employee wellbeing, productivity and satisfaction, but it’s not just employees who are affected. Clients and visitors begin to interpret and understand your brand when they step into your workspace. A well-designed space starts to shape their perception of your work and can even influence their decision to engage with your organisation
From the moment a visitor walks through your door, they should feel the essence of your brand. By creating an environment that fosters connection, you can increase engagement between your brand and your audience which, in turn, helps to build trust, drive growth and, ultimately, improve your bottom line.
Spaceful recently completed a new headquarters for Australian furniture and homewares e-tailer, Temple & Webster. From the moment you walk through the door, you are immersed in the T&W brand – it’s playful, energetic and full of life, giving visitors and staff a truely immersive brand experience.
Read on to find out how to create a cohesive workspace experience that aligns with your brand’s values, vision and USP.
Location and Environment
The physical location of your office can be one of the most distinctive and authentic sources of inspiration for a workspace. Choosing between a central location and a more remote environment speaks volumes about the nature and culture of your business.
For client-facing industries, a central office within a vibrant urban area may prove more convenient and project a more innovative image, whereas a more serene, rural setting can serve to highlight an organisation’s connection to land.
By localising elements of your workplace design to reflect its environment, you can align your workplace with your company’s personality and provide visitors with a meaningful connection to the surrounding land.
When working with engineering company SMEC on their Sunshine Coast office, we set out to create a distinct look and feel that reflected its geographic location and the land-related projects that their team are involved in. Sitting on the shores of Lake Kawana, the waterfront location provided a unique opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind workspace that reflected its coastal roots and differentiated it from their existing offices.
Custom Artwork and Decor
Art and decor in the workplace provide an opportunity to showcase your brand’s personality, history and unique values. Custom artwork, murals, and installations can serve as visual storytelling tools, reinforcing your brand story and creating a memorable experience for those who encounter them. Incorporating elements that reflect your company’s heritage, mission, or vision can foster a sense of pride and connection among employees and leave a lasting impression on clients.
To pay tribute to SMEC’s impressive heritage, Spaceful designed a bespoke history wall for their Canberra office to guide visitors from the entry foyer into the rest of the office. The timeline features images and descriptions of projects that date back to the company’s founding in 1949, the year of the historic Snowy Hydro Project.
Signage and Wayfinding
Signage and wayfinding are fundamental touchpoints in workplace design. Artfully designed signage can enhance the visual identity of your brand and create a consistent experience for visitors throughout your space.
For the SMEC Canberra office, Spaceful applied an industrial wayfinding design to the floors to guide visitors through the space, as an ode to the immense excavation carried out during their namesake Snowy Hydro Project. To complement the wayfinding throughout the space and continue this industrial theme, exposed ceilings are painted black to give the hallways a tunnel-like feel and circulation pathways are adorned with LED baton lights reminiscent of overhead lighting traditionally used in mines.
Lighting and Ambiance
Lighting can have a profound impact on how people perceive a space. While softer lighting can create an intimate and relaxed atmosphere, bright and well-lit spaces convey a sense of energy and transparency.
For cybersecurity company CyberArk, it was imperative that their new workspace reflected a sense of trust and transparency upon which their brand is built. Spaceful devised a complementary lighting design that uses LED strip lighting as a wayfinding feature, which not only maximises light throughout the space, but also creates a sense of openness that prompts visitors to explore new areas of the workspace.
By using lighting strategically, you can further enhance your brand story and create an emotional connection with those who enter your workspace.
Floorplan
A purposefully designed workplace floorplan is essential for both functionality and storytelling. Open-plan offices can signify collaboration and transparency, while separate workstations or private offices might convey a more focused structure. By aligning your office layout with your company culture and values, you can immerse visitors in the brand narrative you want to communicate.
For Australian defence company QinetiQ, function was at the forefront of their floorplan design. Spaceful designed the layout of the space around the concept of agile neighbourhoods to support QinetiQ’s three core teams and their distinct working styles. These neighbourhoods incorporate a mix of focus, collaboration, meet and reset spaces and, crucially, allow for necessary separation from certified classified spaces. The result is a responsive workspace that meets the individual needs of their team whilst still providing ample privacy for classified work.
When considering how you want your office to reflect your brand, keep in mind that your workspace extends beyond the physical. Through strategic planning and thoughtful design, your workspace can serve as a powerful storytelling platform that can elevate your brand, differentiate you from your competitors and create a lasting impact on your clients and all who visit your space
