Progressive educators recognize that the learning process should not be limited to the classroom and the exchange between teachers and students. In fact, according to a 2013 Gallup State of America’s Schools Report, only 55% of K-12 students are engaged in the traditional learning process.

Introducing experiential graphics into built environments turns the building itself into an educator. Consider a simple example of  labeling a drinking fountain in multiple languages with engaging typography. Not only does this teach one how to say drinking fountain in other languages, it teaches a more subtle value of inclusiveness.

The value of ambient learning is not limited to the education industry. The truth is, every organization is in the business of educating. Businesses educate their employees and customers on their history, their processes, their products. Non-profit organizations educate their volunteers, donors and those they serve. Religious institutions educate their people as well. In fact, historically, churches have done a magnificent job through stained glass and art. Consider that Leonardo DaVinci’s famous “Last Supper” painting was commissioned for the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what pictures would make a difference in your building?  Schedule an appointment to explore what ambient learning could do for you.

See just a few of the examples of ambient learning we developed for Delta College below.

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Your building and office space is your chance to influence how people feel in your space and what they think about you and your company. Your name probably already exists on the outside of your building – and it should, to identify you. Do you really want to repeat the same thing inside your front doors? No. Let’s be honest, your guests already know your company name and so do your employees.

Your building should tell your story and your reception area is the first chapter.

Seize the opportunity to say something people don’t know about you, and don’t feel you must use words.  If your clients come in anxious or fearful, give them peace.  If it’s your staff that makes your company so special, show it. If you’re a non profit organization, show a picture that represents your mission. Please, just show or say something other than your company name.

Your goal is to create a conversation starter. No one is going to ask you about your name.

The picture above is a reception area we designed for an engineering firm. Not what you’d expect, right? Well neither is their innovative approach to what they do. We had the wall hand painted by a street artist. It’s a conversation starter with their guests…”Wow, tell me about that!”

Need help with this? Let’s talk.

The post What Not To Say In Your Reception Area appeared first on Ideation.

Our clients often call on us to help them re-imagine the exterior of their buildings. It could be a dentist that acquired an older practice. It could be a retailer or restaurant that is moving into a spot previously held by a similar business. It could be a manufacturer that wants to increase name and brand recognition. The reasons are nearly endless, but the goal is generally the same: to make people notice and express the brand.

While signage is part of the solution, something more is often needed. While the “more” could involve more expensive architectural changes or cladding, “more” can often be accomplished at a much lower cost with a well-designed exterior paint job. Usually, the client had budgeted to repaint the building anyway.

This is something we practice as we preach!  The above picture is of our new studio.  The incremental cost to paint the 3-color design shown was just 10% more than if we had painted it a single gray color!

Successful design doesn’t have to be expensive.  Schedule an appointment to re-imagine the exterior of your building or explore the Power of Paint.

The post The Power of Paint: More Bang for Your $ appeared first on Ideation.

According to Ideation’s Jon Moses, “the interior design had a rustic modern feel with reclaimed wood used throughout the space. We wanted the wayfinding and room identification signage to be an extension of the overall design rather than just a functional necessity. Our goal was for the custom signage to help brand the space.”

Room identification signs produced from reclaimed wood with direct-to-surface printed graphics and applied raised lettering and Grade 2 braille.

“Rather than fake the wood look with traditional sign laminates, our team wanted to use the same imperfect, reclaimed wood used for common area wall surfaces. After several prototypes, everyone was very pleased with the results!” Jon Moses, Ideation.

A second complementary style sign was designed and produced from frosted black acrylic for walls with wood background and for utility signs to help balance the overall sign program cost.

Nine foot tall floor numbers were hand painted to walls outside the elevator doors.

A view of the outfield lofts from behind home plate.

3’ tall steel numbers were fabricated to recognize the distance from home plate to the exterior of the lofts.

The exterior main entrance was branded with freestanding ½” thick aluminum letters above the canopy.

“Beyond the traditional value of making sure people know where to go when visiting and being an ADA compliant solution, our design added value to the environment by serving as an artistic element. Our goal was that the custom signage and environment would make residents proud to live there and visitors want to live there.” Jon Moses, Ideation Orange.

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