NEWPORT BEACH, CA—Wall murals, signage, exhibits, displays and artistic expressions are now widely designed to communicate company values, history and culture to employees and potential recruits, Altitude Design principal Greg Nelson tells GlobeSt.com. Tangram Interiors engaged Altitude Design Office to provide environmental graphics and signage for the company's headquarters remodel. Altitude recently earned a 2017 American Graphic Design Award in the environmental graphics category for its work on multiple areas of the Tangram Interiors headquarters facility in Santa Fe Springs.

The extensive remodel included a live wall with plants and lit acrylic signage in the reception area, a 120-foot “Big Wall,” large-scale pictorial graphics for the work café, large statement signage in the employee workspace and more. We spoke with Nelson about what environmental graphics encompasses and their role in today's office environment.

Tangram Interiors environmental graphics

GlobeSt.com: For those who aren't familiar with the term, how would you define environmental graphics?

Nelson: In its simplest form, it's “communication design meets spaces and places.” Environmental graphics can take the form of wall murals, signage, exhibits, displays and artistic expressions. While they can span the design spectrum from literal to abstract, environmental graphics typically have an explicit purpose: to brand, identify, give direction, inform and visually improve an environment.

GlobeSt.com: What is the role of environmental graphics and signage in today's office environment?

Nelson: Environmental graphics used to be designed from a pure marketing and sales perspective, speaking mainly to an external audience. That is still important today, but environmental graphics are now also widely designed to communicate company values, history and culture to both potential recruits who visit an office as well as employees.

GlobeSt.com: How has this role shifted as the nature of office space has changed?

Nelson: As flexible work policies are becoming common, we've seen an increased emphasis on the importance of environmental graphics to capture employees' attention and engage them with the culture since their time in the actual office space is becoming more limited. Along with these flex workers, office spaces are now also home to interns and contractors—all of these individuals need clarity on how to find their way around the workspace.

GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about Altitude's work on the Tangram Interiors headquarters remodel?

Nelson: It was a collaborative creative process between Altitude, the architect Mozu and Tangram that resulted in some inspiring and bold solutions. Great projects only happen with great clients and team members who are willing to go on a journey together.

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What Environmental Graphics Do for Today's Offices

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