WORK CONNECTING IT THE DOTS GlaxoSmithKline communicates a brand focused on health and well-being.
36 — eg magazine
H
oused in a Double Platinum LEED-certified building designed by Robert A.M. Stern, GlaxoSmithKline’s new U.S. headquarters was conceived as a healthy and sustainable office for a company with well-being as its heart. Located in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard, it is also an innovative mobile workplace: no one has an assigned desk, not even the company president. Pentagram Partner Michael Gericke and Associate Don Bilodeau and their team were tasked with creating environmental graphics for this new kind of workspace. Their goal was to create iconic graphics that would enliven the space and help foster a spirit of connection for a new collaborative way of working. The Pentagram team worked closely with interior architects GSK and Francis Cauffman
to develop the graphics for the contemporary, 208,000-square-foot space. Inspired by the idea of connections, they created a series of largescale murals that recall dot-to-dot drawings. Used to identify office zones, “hub spots,” and office amenities like the cafeteria, they convey the concepts of community, collaboration, interaction, and creativity. The collaborative focus extends to the materials. Many of the graphic wall surfaces use magnetic dry-erase wall coverings so teams can write on them during brainstorming sessions. The bright and contemporary graphics color palette was coordinated with the overall palette for the interiors, including the furnishings, interior finishes, and wallcoverings. Signage and illustrative wayfinding elements are also part of the mix.