In 1904, Frank Lloyd Wright designed his first major public building: the head office for the Larkin Soap Company in Buffalo. Boasting novel features such as central air conditioning, communal dining spaces, and even a branch of the Buffalo Public Library, Wright’s building was designed to foster company culture-building and wellness.
But it was another innovation, dreamt up by Larkin manager William Heath, that pushed this employee-first ethos a step further.
High up in the light-soaked atrium, workers could gaze upon “inspirational” mottoes inscribed into the cream brick: COOPERATION, ECONOMY, INDUSTRY, GENEROSITY, ALTRUISM, SACRIFICE, and so on.
This is an early example of what we now call experiential graphics. Heath’s idea was to take the company’s unglamorous mission—selling soap—and elevate it into something meaningful using words and images. The design served a simple goal: to engage and inspire Larkin’s workers through brand storytelling.
Why use experiential graphics in the workplace?
At its best, architecture and interior design can influence human behavior or sentiment. Experiential graphic design is no different. Graphics are a powerful tool companies can use to foster a sense of pride and purpose in the workplace. Crucially, your message can be tailored to different audiences, be they employees, customers, or guests. Think of experiential graphics as a way to define your employee-facing brand. In the workplace, experiential graphics allow companies to:
Instill pride in workers by reminding them of what they do, and why it matters.
Encourage teams to coalesce around shared values and goals, whether in isolation or across disciplines.
Communicate clearly and directly with people using the space.
At SMMA, we help clients develop a brand identity that captures the values, mission, expertise, and culture their employees live each day. To achieve this, you can borrow from your existing, external brand or create something from scratch. Whatever the method, experiential graphics are the perfect way to get the message across.
What our clients say
For Olympus’ U.S. Medical Headquarters in Westborough, MA, we created a new brand identity that captures the company’s mission to develop leading-edge medical and surgical devices for patients worldwide.
“The design reminds everyone that we are part of a team that spans the globe. We were really excited about visualizing that what we do is much bigger than one singular building."
Steve Wereley, Global Corporate Real Estate Lead at Olympus
Taking inspiration from the company’s product line, the graphics tell the Olympus story through a series of refracting lenses. “While we are now a solely med tech-focused company, those lenses nod to our historical business lines in consumer cameras and microscopy, while staying true to our medical imaging products,” says Wereley. “I love the way this visualization has so many meanings.”
The graphics tap into the company’s sense of itself. “Our core values are something we are extremely proud of, so it was important to express those clearly. My favorite graphics are the on the long hallways on each floor. We have a core value in English, with the message refracting through a lens into the Japanese translation.”
Cambridge Savings Bank (CSB) had spent decades using experiential graphics to build a customer-facing brand in their local branches. But the bank’s new corporate headquarters in Waltham, MA called for a whole new message—one aimed exclusively at employees.
The HQ consolidates the bank’s three existing offices into one new building. With previously siloed teams working alongside each other for the first time, the bank’s leadership tasked us with designing experiential graphics that would, in their words, “create a new community and help people feel at home".
SMMA worked closely with CSB’s marketing and HR teams to develop concepts such as the Community Wall. This space encourages employees to share their perspectives on what it means to work in a new, more cohesive environment.
“The team at SMMA is truly an extension of our team at CSB. They understand our brand identity and are easily able to bring forward thoughtful experiential design work that breathes life into our spaces.”
Lisa Rodericks, Senior Vice President