Crafting a scalable workplace experience that connects employees to purpose.
OVERVIEW
My Role: Design Lead, Graphics & Signage
What I Did: Conceptual Strategy, Graphic Program Design Development, User Journeys, Final Art Creation, Mockup/Proof reviews, All Signage & Wayfinding Programming, Managed fabricators and installation of elements
Project Type: Environmental Graphics & Signage
Software: Illustrator, InDesign, Revit, AutoCAD, Photoshop
Firm: Gensler
Timeline: 18 months (and counting)
PROJECT SUMMARY
LinkedIn understands that to be a world class organization, work should never feel boring. Spaces should inspire people to do their best, engage in playful moments, and ultimately help employees tap into their "why" every day. Over the past three years (and counting) I've worked closely with LinkedIn to bring their purpose to life in their workspaces around the world. One of my largest projects to date has been their Sunnyvale headquarters. This phase included a sprawling campus comprised of 5 buildings and over 650,000sf.
Conceptual Approach
We began by creating a theming strategy for each building based on LinkedIn's core values. Each broad value term was distilled into a metaphor or phrase we could craft a story from and then assigned to an entire building. For example: the broad value of 'Transformation' became the theme 'Change is Good'. We were able to use these themes to anchor further brand language and existing programmatic elements into the spaces in a way that was surprising and intentionally non-literal.
Once we established our values-based themes, we expanded upon the stories we could tell through them. Each floor was assigned a theme that not only supported LinkedIn's culture of fun, but also created a dynamic environmental graphics program that speaks to their mission of "connecting the workforce to economic opportunity". The result is a vibrant, engaging global program that inspires and encourages creativity.
Making Connections
It was important to establish consistent thematic reinforcements at the arrival areas on every floor. In this building, we leveraged the elevator lobbies to display the theme at that floor. Each installation used visual metaphors and iconographic references that aligned to the floors' specific theme.
All Work and All Play Too
The brand journey doesn’t stop once you leave the elevator lobby. As you move throughout each work floor, the theme is reinforced through various static and interactive installations. From refined brand moments in the lobby, to quirky moments in cafes and the workplace floors, all amenities, work zones, socialization areas, and even restrooms are a graphic opportunity to tell a powerful story without having to literally tell it. We took a no-holds-barred approach to enliven the workspaces to craft the overall experience.
Embrace the Mission
Not every aspect of the LinkedIn Brand was presented in abstract messaging, however. It was important to reinforce their culture tenets throughout the space in a visual, but direct way. We were able to loosely tie each tenet a relevant floor theme so that the messaging could act as further bolstering of the thematic approach.
Touchy-Feely
While it was important to convey LinkedIn's mission through messaging throughout the workspaces, it was equally important to give employees opportunities to step away from their desks and have a little fun. We designed several interactive installations that abstractly related to the thematic strategy on each floor. I mean, who wouldn't want to play a giant game of Connect-4 in between meetings?
We were also very intentional in giving employees a canvas to make their own mark on the space. After all, LinkedIn's culture is its beating heart. And that culture is created and grown through each and every employee. Their individual voices and perspectives make up the collective force that is LinkedIn. As it turns out, the collective force likes to color, so we gave them a 15-foot wide coloring wall. This ain't your mama's paint by numbers.
