Image © Gensler
Editor’s note: this blog is part of a series on 2016 tech trends.
As companies seek to define their work culture, participatory art can be used to invite employees and visitors to create their own experiences. Forward-looking companies are finding ways to use space as a lever for expressing organizational culture and values, which can be key to developing a strong brand statement and recruiting top talent.
Participatory art allows companies to leave a portion of the office open to individual interpretation. Integrating experiential artistic elements into workspaces can capture the spirit and energy of a brand in a way that cannot be expressed with framed artwork on a wall or a logo. Creative expression can also communicate company culture and brand values that are aimed at increasing employee happiness and commitment.
Participatory art, such as this dynamic string art wall at Adobe’s San Jose Headquarters, directly engages employees in a hands-on process, allowing them to become co-authors and editors of their environment. Image © Gensler.
Participatory art directly engages employees in hands-on process, allowing them to become co-authors and editors of their environment, motivating workers to collaborate, innovate, and, ultimately, to contribute to work that will advance the business. Regardless of the complexity of creative expression, this trend is an expression of the greater D.I.Y. art culture that we live in now—individuals expect to be a part of the process by contributing to their company’s brand.
When employees are encouraged to add their own personality to their space through things like artwork, installations, or the ability to simply reconfigure their space, they are more invested in their companies as they become a part of the process. Image © Gensler.
If we plan for participatory art as part of the design process in the tech industry, it will allow individuals to become more invested in their space as they become a part of the process. Being deliberately expressive invites visitors to interact with a space instead of being an outside observer. Optimizing space can become an opportunity for enhancing organizational culture and increasing teamwork and productivity.
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Natalie Engels re-imagines the workplace experience. A design director and regional leader of Gensler’s Technology practice, Natalie teams with clients to improve their business by designing for the workforce of the future; helping to attract and keep the next generation of employees. Contact her at natalie_engels@gensler.com. |
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Kristin Quiroz Bayona helps shine a light on the amazing people and projects in San Jose, California. A PR and Marketing Specialist, she crafts compelling content on the latest in workplace design. Contact her at kristin_quirozbayona@gensler.com. |