Today, designers are just as valuable brand storytellers as any marketing campaign. We are social scientists. We have the ability to impact human behavior through our design decisions, influencing emotional connection to space in such a way to spark a sense of belonging and purpose.

This is no truer than in the workplace, as companies increasingly leverage the experience of space as a window into who they are. There’s a growing recognition of how meaningful design can transform corporate cultures and positively impact business performance. Now, more than ever, companies seek out designers that can provide deeper meaning and authentic experiences within the environments we create – they look to us to tell the story of their brand.

CHAPTER 1: IT STARTS WITH WHY

We enter into every project by asking the why of it. Regardless of client, location or market, designers must remember we are designing for people, first and foremost. At Perkins and Will, we keep our eyes and ears open to every nuance, to every why? and how come? to develop highly branded experiences with a level engagement and emotional connection that sets our clients apart.

When Unilever asked Perkins and Will to overhaul their suburban campus in New Jersey – the why of it was to create a workplace that would tell the global brand’s sustainability story, while also functioning as a recruitment tool to attract the best and brightest talent.

We saw this as an opportunity to unify the company’s collective brand stories under one roof, while also educating users about their commitment to climate consciousness at every scale.

This ranged from small interventions, such as a reception desk made out of trees recycled from the site to larger interventions, including the integration of smart technology, with employees having the option to control room conditions from their phone screens. Additionally, the campus was equipped with over 15,000 sensors used to measure temperature, light, carbon dioxide, humidity, and who’s present in a room, helping the building adjust over time to become more efficient.

Not only was Unilever’s sustainability story unpacked through a variety of design interventions, but the spaces also encouraged employees to be active participants in lowering the building’s carbon footprint, making them part of the brand story themselves.

CHAPTER 2: TAPPING INTO EMOTIONS

In today’s highly competitive world of workplace design, effective brand storytelling is so much more than an oversized logo or illuminated signage.

As designers, we must continuously strive to understand our audience – the end-user – and build spaces that reach both their hearts and minds. A large part of this leveraging design to create moments or memorable experiences that take users on an emotional journey through the company’s brand.

When Perkins and Will was enlisted by Endeavor formally IMG College – the largest collegiate sports marketing company in the US – to reimagine their new office space, we saw this as an opportunity to take users on the journey of a college sports fan.

Throughout the space, our design team created an emotional connection to the sports industry with the use of lighting, textures, patterning, and subtle brand messaging interventions. Stepping off the elevator, employees and visitors are immediately greeted by cheering fans on the speakers, a scoreboard showcasing the floor number, turf on the walls, and an oversized basketball floor. Meanwhile, the open office design has yard makers in the carpet pattern to create a form of wayfinding,