It’s been a long time coming- and we couldn’t be more excited to share this with you.
Today, we’re launching The Best of Branded Environments at Perkins&Will. This collection represents decades of collaboration, curiosity, and creativity. Over the years, our Branded Environments team has worked side by side with many of youour design partners- across studios, sectors, and client types, creating experiences that connect people to place in meaningful ways.
Nearly 30 years ago, we pioneered the practice of Branded Environments. We saw an opportunity to go beyond logos and signage, creating spaces that personify brands and give them voices. We developed unique and inventive ways to communicate a brand’s identity, mission, and values that connect with the emotions of our clients’ users by bringing their stories to life.
At the heart of our work is strategy. We begin by understanding what our clients want to communicate and how they want people to feel, navigate, and connect. From there, we design with intention: visually, spatially, experientially. Each solution we create is tailor-made to align with the intentions of a brand-grounded in strategy, guided by design, and built to adapt to evolving needs, technologies, and expectations.
From corporate workplaces to healthcare environments, academic campuses to cultural institutions, we’ve partnered with architects, interior designers, landscape architects, urban designers, marketing strategists, experience designers, and artists across the globe.
Together, we’ve crafted narrative-rich branded solutions, intuitive and integrated wayfinding systems, thoughtful signage and recognition programs, engaging and immersive experiences, seamless environmental messaging and graphics, meaningful art and artifact installations, and more. Each project is a chance to explore new mediums, technologies, and skills leading to innovative ways of telling stories and helping people find their way. And it matters.
A well-designed branded environment does more than reinforce identity. It reinforces an organization’s vision. It attracts, retains and energizes talent. It sparks innovation and creativity. It deepens brand engagement and strengthens culture. It can even improve healthier outcomes. When we design with intention, clarity, and purpose, a branded environment elevates the experience of a space.
This volume is more than a showcase of our workit’s a celebration of the discipline we’ve built, the progress we’ve made, and the people who’ve made it possible. It’s a recognition of our combined talent. More so, it’s an open invitation to dream bigger, collaborate earlier, and imagine what’s possible… together.
Keith Curtis Design Principal, Branded Environments
Kaiye Shinkaiye
Katie Janson
Annika Olson
Keith Curtis
Tatom O’Donnell
Laura McMullan Vick Moore
Colette Parras
Christine Burton
David Decastiz
Kyra Marsh
Sarah Brophy
Rachel Tummino
Yvette Fevurly
Nelly Morales
Graham Allan
Korinna Hirsch
Colleen Curasi
Zaynah Bashir
Ryan Odom
Lauren Mereness
Lexie Davidson
Elliot Langejans
Peter Reed
Reagan Bartlett
OUR TEAM
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Vancouver
We are a team of storytellers, visionaries, and designers who transform the built environment into immersive brand narratives. We are researchers, strategic thinkers, graphic designers, storytellers, and environmental design experts who work collaboratively with our partners to shape meaningful and memorable experiences.
With every project, our talented team of brand experts leverage the unique DNA of our clients, weaving their mission, culture, and values into strategies that bring their brand to life. Whether crafting intuitive wayfinding strategies or creating breathtaking spaces, we ensure every branded environment guides and inspires those it engages.
We are curious and thoughtful explorers discovering new strategies and designing unique solutions that elevate brands and redefine space. As we continue to grow, we invite those who share our passion to collaborate, create, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Travis Longstaff
Donald Koide
Margo Cochell
Kathryn Moyers
Meredith Comley
Enrico Dagostini
Sarah Wicker Emily Preece
Amanda Jurmu
Carly Zembrodt
WHAT WE DO
Our process focuses on services that generate memorable experiences through meaningful human connections. We create these connections by evoking story through various forms of identities and environments.
STRATEGIES
FINDINGS
Brand Strategy
Brand Positioning
Brand Master Plan
Experience Planning
Strategic Opportunities Mapping
Experience Definitions & Mapping
Narratives & Mapping
Wayfinding Strategy
IDENTITIES
MARKS
Naming Logos
Icons
Taglines
Hierarchy
STANDARDS/ GUIDES/ MANUALS
Brand Guidelines
Identity Guidelines
Logo Standards
Experience Guidelines
Global Design Standards
Master Planning Style Guides
Signage Standards
COLLATERAL
Stationery/ Business Cards
Brochures/Mailers
Promotional Campaigns
Digital Media
Packaging
Premiums
Sign Systems
Change Management
Communications
ENVIRONMENTS
TYPOLOGY SYSTEMS
Master Planning
Hierarchies
BRAND ARCHITECTURE
Architectural Interface
Adjacencies
Programmatic Exploration
Interior Design Interface
Urban Settings
EXHIBITS, INSTALLATIONS, & FORMS
Destination Integration
Storytelling
Graphic Design
DONOR RECOGNITION
Hierarchies
Modular Systems
Sponsorship Support
Fundraising Materials
WAYFINDING & SIGNAGE
Exterior/ Interior
Directories
Directionals
Base building
Car Parks
Icons
Information/ Identification
Code Required
CRAFTING EXPERIENCES
We synthesize mission, vision, values, business objectives, and programyour brand-into key tenets that drive and guide design decisions in ways that best resonate with target audiences, ensuring a uniquely authentic experience.
The Best of Branded Environments is organized into four distinct project categories:
COMMUNITY CORPORATE LEARNING HEALTH & WELLNESS
Each section illustrates the breadth and depth of our work. These categories represent more than project types; they are windows into the diverse challenges we’ve embraced and the bold ideas we’ve brought to life. Across these sectors, ideas flow freely and showcase the power of crosspollination in shaping meaningful, resonant, and strategic branded experiences.
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Design that belongs to everyone, reflects everyone, and brings people together in the places they share.
Kaleidoscope Garden (Boston, Massachusetts)
KALEIDOSCOPE GARDEN
Boston, Massachusetts
Kaleidoscope Garden is an iconic, interactive installation designed to engage park guests of all ages and enhance The Lawn on D’s community space. Visitors explore a glowing field of 1,200 discs before entering a spinning kaleidoscope lens, where reflections merge into a dynamic visual experience, activating the lawn as a vibrant, communal gathering place.
Users:
South Boston and Seaport neighborhoods
Services Provided:
Storytelling
Urban Settings
Experience Planning
Destination Integration
Graphic Design
Fun Fact:
The sculpture features 1,200 glowing discs that mimic fireflies, which are “expelled” from the spinning kaleidoscope lens like frozen particles of light.
ART ON THE MART
Chicago, Illinois
Art on the Mart: Currents is a dynamic tribute to Chicago’s unseen systemswater, wind, data, and people- told through motion, music, and design.
Projected on The Mart’s 2.5-acre riverfront facade, it’s a reflection of Perkins&Will’s roots while referencing NeoCon’s theme to Design Ahead.
Users:
The City of Chicago
Services Provided:
Storytelling
Destination Integration
Digital Media Integration
Experience Planning
Graphic Design
Fun Fact:
We taught ourselves the program as we were making the art. Talk about learning on the job!
REGEN
Palm Springs, California
The ReGen Signage system, inspired by Palm Springs’ vibrant spirit, used bold colors and organic biophilic forms to guide movement across the resort. Modular, lightweight, and sustainably crafted, each sign was easy to transport, quickly adapt, and reconfigure for a seamless event experience.
Fun Fact: The whole system was manufactured in one week!
* Work In Progress
CENTER STAGE
Atlanta, Georgia
As part of a refreshed concept exploration, we worked to reposition Center Stage and its three iconic venues with a unified design that honors their distinct identities. Updated facades and signage reestablish the theater’s presence amid Midtown Atlanta’s rapid growth, reinforcing its role as a vibrant community hub for live entertainment and cultural connection.
Users:
Performing arts enthusiasts and a passionate staff seeking/delivering live entertainment
Services Provided:
Brand Identity
Graphic Design
Experience Planning
Exterior Branding and Signage
Fun Fact:
Built in 1966 as a memorial to Helen Lee Cartledge, Center Stage has hosted legends like Prince, Elton John, Lady Gaga, and Jay-Z- cementing its legacy in Atlanta’s live entertainment scene.
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Charlotte, North Carolina
The Charlotte Symphony rebrand channels the transformative power of live music to reflect and unite the region.
Honoring its civic mission, the new logo features hidden visuals and dynamic movement, capturing the Symphony’s vibrant spirit, while a playful version connects all generations, including the Youth Orchestra.
All ages, backgrounds, residents, visitors, and music lovers
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Logo & Hierarchy
Logo Standards
Identity Guidelines
The Charlotte Symphony logo hides images of a guitar, ear, headphones, and musical strings, capturing the essence of music and listening.
CITY OF CHATTANOOGA REBRAND
Chattanooga, Tennessee
As part of the City of Chattanooga’s vision for a more equitable, connected, and thriving community, we led the development of a new brand identity grounded in collaboration and discovery. Engaging city leaders, community voices, and partners, we crafted a comprehensive brand and implementation
CORPORATE PROJECTS
Create a workplace that cares for the well-being of its people, and the people will care about their workplace.
CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
Charlotte, North Carolina
The institution’s flagship headquarters embodies a dynamic, approachable, client-centered brand experience. Through integrated identity elements, local art, biophilic design, and modern storytelling, the space creates an innovative, engaging, and welcoming environment infused with the brand’s authentic essence.
Users:
Employees, Clients, Guests
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Brand Strategy
Environmental Graphics
Experience Planning
Signage & Wayfinding
Fun Fact:
A two-story tech sculpture inspired by the southern live oak tree conveys informality, hospitality, and play through open-framed and fabric-covered cubes, creating a digitally branded presence on the Charlotte skyline.
PROJECT VARSITY
Atlanta, Georgia
pays homage to Atlanta’s legacy for social and cultural change, its music and art scene, and its rich civil rights history. The city is honored in every design element integrated into this authentic, unique, and memorable branded experience.
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Environmental Graphics
Brand Strategy
Experience Planning
Signage & Wayfinding
The space is “A Love Letter to Atlanta” and inspired by a ‘mixed tape’ in delivering Atlanta’s most precious stories. The tape is the embodiment of equity for those who seek an inclusive and diverse environment.
CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT
New York, New York
This project blends hospitality with purpose, embodying a mission of creating a better working world. Reflecting values of inclusion, well-being, and community, the space features sculptural design, local art, and custom tilework, grounding the environment in both the company’s legacy and the vibrant spirit of New York.
“Thanks again for all you do to create special spaces that make a difference to the business. Well done. And the office managing partner specifically called out how much she liked the ephemera. Well done to you (BE) as well.”
WASTE MANAGEMENT HEADQUARTERS
Houston, Texas
Waste Management’s Houston headquarters was reimagined as a dynamic space reflecting their global reach, Chicago roots, and mission to do the right thing, the right way. Their values come to life through layered storytelling, signage, and sustainability-driven design-earning LEED v4 Platinum certification and creating a workplace that inspires purpose and reinforces legacy.
Users:
Employees and leadership across Waste Management’s global operations
Services Provided: Storytelling Brand Integration
Experience Planning
Change Management Collaboration
Fun Fact:
WM manages 90 wildlife habitat programs on 20,000 acres of protected land and produces over 2.4 million metric tons of carbon-negative energy annuallyall of which inspired features of the design.
ANTARES
Chicago, Illinois
The Antares brand concept, Equitable Momentum, reflects quiet strength through sculptural forms, celestial cues, and hidden messagesechoing the brand’s values of leading, partnering, belonging, innovating, and delivering. Subtle signage and refined materials reinforce a seamless identity.
Users:
Employees & Clients
Services Provided:
Storytelling
Destination Integration
Experience Planning
Environmental Graphics
Signage & Wayfinding
Fun Fact:
We created a custom visual codeabstract vertical forms hand-stitched into faux leather and linen- to express Antares’ core values through layered form, texture, and discovery.
SPERLING, KENNY, AND NACHWALTER
Chicago, Illinois
We created a tailored signage package for Sperling, Kenny, and Nachwalter that reflects the firm’s warm culture and complements its residential-inspired interiors. Playful room names like Perry Mason and Elle Woods pair with curated art that adds personality, making the system a seamless expression of culture and authentic connection.
Employees, Guests, Clients
Services Provided:
Storytelling
Destination Integration
Experience Planning
Wayfinding Strategy
Signage & Wayfinding
Fun Fact:
We designed the signage in record time and on a very tight budget.
BLACKROCK ATLANTA HEADQUARTERS
Users:
Employees, Guests, Clients
Environmental Brand Strategy and Planning
Environmental Graphics and Branding
Wayfinding and Signage
Art and Artifact Programming
Interior Workplace Concepts
Our team refined the guidelines for implementation at BlackRock’s Hudson Yards HQ, enhancing sophistication to resonate with the high-end NYC clientele following the Atlanta prototype.
NORC
Washington, D.C.
A custom wood art wall visualizes decades of data from NORC’s General Social Survey, serving as a striking centerpiece in a space designed for high-profile visitors. Alongside thoughtful signage and brand elements, the installation brings NORC’s mission and values to life in a tangible, compelling way.
Users:
Law makers, clients, employees
Services Provided:
Storytelling
Destination Integration
Experience Planning
Wayfinding Strategy
Signage & Wayfinding
Fun Fact:
Each block represents a survey respondent, with color, height, and placement visualizing health, emotion, and happiness- creating a sculptural, data-driven portrait of American life.
IMPACT VENTURES
Dallas, Texas
Our work with Impact Ventures captured the bold energy and purpose of their mission to support underrepresented women and minority entrepreneurs. Colorful feature walls showcase core values, inspiring cohorts and alumni against a backdrop of striking color blocking symbolizing vibrancy and forward momentum.
Staff, Cohorts, Alumni, Donors, Guests
Environmental Graphics
Destination Integration
Experience Mapping
The lounge is anchored by two powerful, large-scale original art pieces created by a Black artist and printed on textured, metallic wallcovering, creating an ethereal moment to celebrate Black identity and imagination.
CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
Hudson Yards, New York City
The organization’s New York City headquarters delivers an elevated, client-centric experience that reflects its mission of care and community impact. Through intricate patterning, custom graphics, messaging, materials, and lighting, the design expresses a modern approach to brand storytelling and communication. Every element is choreographed to reinforce the institution’s identity and purpose.
The institution’s brand identity is expressed as a transparent, iconic cube at the workplace entryan aspirational space for client engagement that appears to float between floors and glow against the Manhattan skyline.
LEARNING PROJECTS
Brand messaging and design solutions that respect history, engage people in the present, and look to the future.
43 Morrow High School (Ellenwood, Georgia)
MORROW HIGH SCHOOL
Ellenwood, Georgia
Morrow High School’s branded environment, inspired by Mustang spirit and the theme “Belong Today, Belong Tomorrow,” blends bold graphics and inclusive design to celebrate unity and individuality. Woven through the S-shaped building, environmental graphics and messaging create inspiring spaces that empower students and build a lasting sense of belonging.
Users: Students, Faculty, Staff, Visitors
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/Positioning
User Engagement
Brand Integration
Environmental Graphics
Memorial Tribute
Fun Fact:
The Diversity graphic features every official national flag of the world.
VASSAR COLLEGE HOUSE BRANDS
Poughkeepsie, New York
Vassar College’s branding update kept the beloved house mascots and colors while improving consistency, clarity, and visual cohesion. Architectural icons, drawn from each house’s exterior, strengthen the connection between identity and place as the college formally adopts these longstanding traditions into its brand.
Users:
Vassar Students, House Advisors, Residential Staff, College Marketing
Services Provided:
Brand and Identity Development
Brand Strategy
Graphic Design
Strategic Planning
Fun Fact:
Vassar’s nine residential houses span across six different architectural styles.
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
HORIZON HALL
Fairfax, Virginia
Inside Horizon Hall, language and light spark reflection and discovery and challenge universal truths. The Word Wall randomly juxtaposes quotes across time and culture to create new meaning, while the inverted World Wall casts shadows in over a hundred languages. Together, they make the humanities visible, vibrant, inclusive, and central to campus life.
Students, Faculty, Staff, Visitors
Services Provided:
Storytelling
Environmental Graphics
Destination Integration
Experience Definitions & Mapping
Experience Planning
Fun Fact:
The World Wall map is intentionally turned upside down to challenge traditional viewpoints and spark conversation.
EASTSIDE EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL
Austin, Texas
Honoring a legacy of leadership and inclusion, the new graphic identity celebrates the merger of three schools rooted in Austin’s first Black public high school. Aligned with the mission to develop future business leaders and transformative ideas, a timeline blends archival history with community memory to inspire forward-thinking impact.
Users:
Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Environmental Graphics
Experience Planning
Destination Integration
Experience Definitions & Mapping
Alumni Quote:
“Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential. The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”
COLLIN COLLEGE TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Allen, Texas
At Collin College Technical Campus, brand moments were employed to reverse stigmas of blue collars to celebrate opportunities of “white glove.” Vibrant colors guide the way- blue, yellow, green, and orange weaving through the halls to celebrate each trade. Branded graphics and intuitive wayfinding turn movement into meaning, uniting disciplines and sparking connection across a campus built for collaboration.
Users:
High school and college students, faculty, corporate trainees, and workforce development participants.
Services Provided:
Environmental Graphics
Visual Identity Integration
Color Strategy & Trade Identity System
Fun Fact:
The campus’ color-coded zones aid navigation, foster a sense of community by visually connecting students across diverse technical disciplines, and reinforce notion of elevated, polished working conditions.
* Work In Progress
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
RYAN FIELD
Evanston, Illinois
The New Ryan Field transforms Northwestern’s historic stadium into a year-round, community-focused destination. Designed for accessibility and sustainability, the LEED Gold-targeted venue features bold architecture, active public spaces, and custom branding that honors the university’s athletic legacy.
Users:
Athletes, Fans, Students, Residents
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Signage & Wayfinding
Narratives & Mapping
Destination Integration
Experience Planning
One goal for Ryan Field is to be the most accessible and inclusive stadium in college sports.
BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY
MLK JR. CENTER FOR COMMUNICATION ARTS AND HUMANITIES
Prince George’s County, Maryland
The new Martin Luther King Jr. Communication Arts and Humanities Building at Bowie State creates a cultural stage where people connect, exchange, and grow. Inspired by Dr. King’s legacy, the space empowers student expression and honors Black voices through a bold commitment to justice, identity, and education.
Users:
Students, Faculty, Staff, Visitors
Services Provided: Story Visioning/Positioning
BILLERICA MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica Memorial High School’s identity, Reflection with Direction: Honoring the past, Aiming for the future, bridges history and progress with a new, inclusive visual language. Rooted in the town’s humble pride, the graphics and feather-chevron motif transform heritage into a symbol of confidence and community moving forward.
Historic photos from Billerica’s archives were repurposed as wayfinding, giving each school neighborhood its own unique identity and purpose.
* Work In Progress
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
* Work In Progress
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS
A 13’ square kinetic installation positioned at a main entry point serves as an ever-changing moment of history, messaging, and culture.
HEALTH & WELLNESS PROJECTS
Care begins with design that feels safe, seen, and human.
Whitman- Walker Health Max Robinson Center (Washington, D.C.)
WHITMANWALKER HEALTH
MAX ROBINSON CENTER
Washington, D.C.
Inspired by namesake and pride activist Max Robinson, the new center delivers holistic care to D.C.’s Wards 7 and 8 through a welcoming space rooted in community and healing. Design elements, like African-inspired patterns, pride-themed art, and illuminated tributes reinforce inclusion and belonging, while honoring cultural resilience and every patient’s worth.
Users:
LGBTQ+, minority, and at-risk patients
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Community Engagement
Environmental Graphics
Signage & Wayfinding
Experience Planning
Fun Fact:
This neighborhood is home to go-go music, the signature sound of D.C. with deep roots in the local community.
* Work In Progress
LYFORD CAY HOSPITAL
Nassau, Bahamas
With the nearest hospital over 30 minutes away, a modern healthcare facility near Lyford Cay became a vital need. We developed a suite of fundraising materials that captured the beauty and spirit of the Bahamas, using vibrant visuals and inclusive storytelling to present the hospital as a shared promise of care and connection.
Residents, Donors, Stakeholders, Partners
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Communications Design
Promotional Campaign
Fundraising Materials
Donor Engagement
Community members saw themselves reflected in materials that celebrated their lives and landscape.
* Work In Progress
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH SYSTEM
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A seven-story graphic installation winds through the stairwell, thematically connecting each floor with imagery inspired by immunology, medicine, and innovation. A curtain of multicolored chains overlays the graphics, creating a shifting optical illusion that symbolizes the interconnectedness of cells, systems, and people.
Students, Residents, Staff
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Community Engagement
Environmental Graphics
Experience Planning
Narratives & Mapping
Fun Fact:
The graphics transition between the University of Pennsylvania brand colors, starting from the lowest level in blue, and finishing on the highest level with a red graphic.
* Work In Progress
MOODY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Dallas, Texas
UT Southwestern and Children’s - NPC are creating a new pediatric medical center to replace the existing hospital, designed to meet the growing needs of North Texas families. Inspired by the theme “Infinite Imagination,” the campus features whimsical, collage-style illustrations and playful elements that spark creativity and wonder through the eyes of children.
Pediatric patients and physicians
Services Provided:
Story Visioning/ Positioning
Community Engagement
Environmental Graphics
Experience Planning Narratives & Mapping
At the conclusion of the concept design phase, we had identified a total of 700 unique activations planned across the campus.
CARTI CANCER CENTER
Little Rock, Arkansas
CARTI Cancer Center is a place where compassion and strength converge, offering patients comfort and clarity in their journey. The visual language evokes serenity and hope, with symbols of connection and words of encouragement woven throughout. Every detail reflects a spirit of healing, unity, and care that extends beyond the center’s walls.
Users:
Healthcare Providers, Patients, Visitors, Staff
Services Provided:
Interior Signage & Wayfinding
Exterior Signage & Wayfinding
Environmental Graphic Design
Narratives & Mapping
Experience Planning
Fun Fact:
The new CARTI logo reimagines the original star as an interlocking crest symbolizing the unity of their four core values- excellence, compassionate care, patient-centeredness, and committed colleagues.
NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM GREEN TOWER
Gainesville, Georgia
Rooted in Northeast Georgia Health System’s mission to improve community well-being, the new tower blends compassionate care with thoughtful design. Inspired by North Georgia’s natural beauty, brand elements echo the architecture’s connection to the landscapecreating artful, human-centered spaces and expanded access to care in harmony with nature.
Users:
Patients, Families, Practitioners, Administrators
Services Provided:
Brand Strategy
Donor Strategy
Experience Planning
Environmental Graphic Design
Art Programming Collaboration
Fun Fact:
In addition to biophilic healing properties, abstracted impressionist vistas of local landscapes offer the softly glowing ambience of comfort and home.
PROVIDENCE CEDARS-SINAI TARZANA MEDICAL CENTER
Services Provided:
Interior Signage & Wayfinding
Exterior Signage & Wayfinding
Donor Recognition Systems
Narratives & Mapping
Experience Planning
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
An excerpt of award-winning work that reflects the talent and vision of our design teams across the country.
Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering
AIA Georgia Design Awards, Finalist, Built Project, 2023
