Recently I spent the day at PWC’s Melbourne Office for a business planning retreat. It was the first time I’m been to visit their new digs and was immediately struck by the first impression provided by their foyer and reception.

For a consulting firm with a strategic desire to stand-out and stay ahead of the pack, the design of their office entrance spoke louder than any words could. Created by Sydney based Future Space, who explain that the client collaboration floors were designed to be “a blend of the very best that the city has to offer, bringing together all that is quintessentially Melbourne into an energetic blend of creativity, technology, innovation and knowledge.

Located in the Riverside Quay development along the banks of the Yarra River, the four Client Collaboration Floors challenge old ideas of formal client interactions and boardroom meetings. Technology has been integrated throughout the space in order to enhance the experience for PwC’s clients and people. Signature elements include:

· The Flame Tree; a four-storey digital artwork, that pulls weather data from the rooftop to create a moving, growing digital art piece

· The Digital Waterfall; a continuous stream of information on PwC’s people, thought leadership and whitepapers accessible via touch screen

· The Hub; a 360 degree ‘in the round’ immersion room and the only installation of its kind in Australia

As this is a completely new way of working the design of the space needed to support people through this process of learning to use a new type of environment. The Client Collaboration floors have been designed to be intuitive, and to give people ‘permission’ to use the environment in ways that best suit their needs.”

Without sighting the PWC brand strategy, the design of their foyer clearly communicates a value proposition that embraces; Innovation, Forward Thinking, and Creativity.

Whilst few corporate companies have the budget PWC has to transform their office environment into an active and engaging brand space, every corporate company no matter their size does have a brand crying out to be communicated distinctly and brought to life creatively through any and every opportunity. If this PWC entrance statement makes you even a little bit envious, it could be time to consider how you could make your own first brand impression work harder for your business.

Dave Ansett
David is the founder of Truly Deeply, a brand agency with 25 years experience working with brands to position them for growth. His deep expertise is in the creation of high engagement brands that attract the attention of their audience and stand out from their competitors. David has extensive experience working with corporate, retail, food & beverage and entrepreneurial clients. Find out more here
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Photos from Truly Deeply.