Free Library of Northampton Township
Free Library of Northampton Township
Brandywine Realty Trust
Brandywine Realty Trust creates spaces that inspire.
So, when they asked us to help them design construction barriers for an upcoming escalator improvement at the Cira Centre in University City, we knew a simple “Pardon our dust” message wasn’t going to cut it. The escalator project was Brandywine’s mission in action – proactively bettering their tenants’ experience to continue to provide a best-in-class work environment. But, construction projects, no matter how well-planned and expertly executed, are disruptive. They’re noisy. They’re dusty. And they’re anything but relaxing. So we set out to create a soothing, pleasant, enjoyable ambiance that shined a spotlight, not on what was going on behind the walls, but what was going on outside of them. Delivering on Brandywine’s ethos of developing communities, not just real estate, we turned the lobby into a pop-up art gallery, featuring seven local artists who had participated in Brandywine’s Mural Row, just around the corner.
The new lobby space was clean and elegant, intentionally designed to seamlessly integrate with the already impressive lobby interior. The barriers became gallery walls and we selected twenty details from the seven murals to make up the art installation. Gallery tags communicated the details of each work and encouraged tenants and visitors to visit nearby Mural Alley to see the original pieces.
Industry
Components
One of the key concerns was maintaining business continuity for their tenant, Garces Trading Co. With bold splashes of their recognizable brand color, we extended the entrance to the restaurant into the lobby space to make it clear that their operation was business as usual, despite their location being (literally) under the construction.
Wayfinding panels dotted the lobby, with clear directions for tenants, visitors, and passers-by, as well as a simple and on-brand announcement of the improvements underway.
With the lobby getting a temporary glow-up, it was a natural opportunity to extend the beautification to the adjacent parking garage. Dim lighting, dingy walls, and institutional wayfinding were replaced with splashes of color, courtesy of a handful of local artists (and us), that not only made the space more inviting, but helped to solve the age-old, end-of-the-day “where did I park?!” dilemma.
Even the dark staircase got an upgrade, thanks to some cheery artwork and a serendipitous assist from Mother Nature.
PROUD MOMENT
This project was nearly a year in the making, involving a massive amount of teamwork between our crew, production, and at least 4 internal departments on the Brandywine’s side. There were artists to manage, building codes to adhere to, (sliding) construction timelines to coordinate with, and wall dimensions that seemed to keep shifting in a nearly Alice in Wonderland fashion. Through it all, the team stayed together with an eye on the end goal: delivering on Brandywine’s promise to delight their tenants every step of the way.
