Commercial Design Qualifications

Commercial Design Qualifications

BRAND DESIGN

Identity and logo design

Brand applications

Media integration

Change management campaigns

New media

PLACEMAKING

Experiential graphics

Public art

Digital experiences

Storytelling displays

Donor recognition

Exhibits

WAYFINDING

Signage design and standards

Assessments

ADA and life safety

Master plan strategies

Naming and numbering

About Us

The Experience Design group at HOK celebrates the culture and the people that make spaces unique. Together with our clients and architectural partners, we map out the journey and leverage brand strategy, so everyone can visualize your unique personality. And we recommend a variety of media platforms —seamlessly integrated with interiors and architecture—and intentionally selected for the most effective engagement, flow and impact.

We are rooted in technical excellence, driven by imagination and focused on a solitary goal: to deliver solutions that inspire clients and communities.

— OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES JR

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”

Company Background

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

EXD collaborates with teams across markets and disciplines which enables us to provide project teams with broad exposure to current ideas, styles and sensibilities. We leverage cross-market tactics and strategies in the constant evolution of how we tell stories.

CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

We communicate the drivers of an organization and make them visible, approachable experiences with a sense of place. We employ print and pixel, art and artifact, to create experiential environments that are on-brand and of-culture.

WAYFINDING GRAPHICS

An effective design solution requires visibility, legibility, sensitivity and flexibility—all without sacrificing creativity. From graphics planning through implementation and performance documentation, we help get people where they want to go while presenting a meaningful interpretation of identity.

Lightwell

LOCATION:

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

SERVICES:

BRAND & LOGO DESIGN, SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING

Lightwell transforms one of Kansas City’s most significant downtown buildings into a modern workplace for creatives and welcoming urban retreat. A fresh brand supports this repositioning with the design of a new logo and identity that is all about being bright, light and rooted. Colors are inspired by the gradation of the day, referencing new food and beverage options that take people into the night. This new identity has extended to the signage design, graphics and the attributes of the public and amenity spaces.

Phoenix Tower

LOCATION:

SERVICES:

HOUSTON, TEXAS SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING

The angled design of the refreshed signage for Phoenix Tower relates back to the development’s logo. Wood veneer panels on the signage complement interior finishes, and their illumination pulls people to the elevator banks. The new wayfinding program also directs visitors more effectively to the 9th floor main lobby for both pedestrians entering from the street level and drivers coming from the parking garage. Environmental graphics are inspired by the Houston skyline and the shape of the Phoenix Constellation.

Kentucky International Convention Center

LOCATION:

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

SIZE:

960,000 SQ. FT.

SERVICES:

SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING, NAMING & NUMBERING SYSTEM

A newly-expanded convention center puts downtown Louisville on display and creates an inviting front porch for the passerby. Convention centers are often difficult to navigate because of their large size and out-of-town guests. The improved wayfinding simplifies circulation paths and connects visitors visually to their surroundings. The sign designs are purposefully organic and relate to the architectural design and form of the skylights.

Equifax Midtown

LOCATION:

SIZE:

SERVICES:

ATLANTA, GEORGIA 100,000 SQ. FT.

TOUR SCRIPTING, ART DIRECTION, EXPERIENTIAL GRAPHICS, SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING, FILM ON GLASS, DIMENSIONAL INSTALLATIONS

Aligned with a refresh of Equifax’s brand, updates to their Midtown location modernize the building and create a stronger presence on notable Peachtree Street in Atlanta. Updates to the exterior signage added illumination and created a new axis for the signage that was easier to read. And the new building signage takes advantage of the building’s prime location. Within the lobby, the concept of data points dispersing extend this energy and add excitement to the experience.

spring st dusk #5

Cargill Protein Headquarters

LOCATION:

WICHITA, KANSAS

SIZE:

188,000 SQ. FT.

SERVICES:

EXPERIENTIAL GRAPHICS, SIGNAGE

Cargill Protein’s new headquarters celebrates the why behind Cargill’s mission. The theme “families feeding families” ties visitors to the protein process and the farmers, ranchers, chefs, scientists and engineers working together to nourish the world.

EXD helped to develop a tour path through the space with a corresponding story that would be told. Content is sourced locally and reference the landscape, animals, textures and details that are found in the supply chain. Hand-drawn sketches married with corporate brand guidelines create a regional expression that is both authentic and humble. In all, the experiential graphics create a holistic picture and authentic expression that is uniquely Cargill Protein.

Wichita State University

LOCATION:

SIZE:

SERVICES:

WICHITA, KANSAS 330 ACRES

MASTERPLANNING, SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING

The campus wayfinding at Wichita State University features elegant forms that echo the movement of wheat stalks gently blowing in the wind. The wheat grain pattern is water-jet cut, allowing the yellow accent color of the grains to show through and glow at night, like beacons. The system includes building identification markers, vehicular directional signs, pedestrian directional signs, map artwork and pedestrian kiosks.

Aggie Recreation Center

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY

LOCATION:

LOGAN, UTAH

SERVICES:

EXPERIENTIAL GRPAHICS, SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING

Graphics at Aggie Rec Center are inspired by the geography of the Utah landscape. Openings and architectural forms are married with stylized landscapes, topographic patterns and dimensional elements to reinforce an experience of place. The facility now serves over 17,000 students and has become a visual gateway for the campus.

American Century Investments

LOCATION:

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

SERVICES:

FILM ON GLASS, SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING, MASTER PLANNING

Through a strategic branding masterplan and corresponding standards, Experience Design is helping American Century Investments keep employees culturally connected through a multi-floor phased renovation-in-place.

Color schemes specific to each floor develop individuality and facilitate wayfinding, and the customized environmental graphics activate the space using brand colors, subtle imagery and messaging that reinforces the ACI brand. The imagery consists of micro/ macro details, especially the tree, which relates back to the ACI brand. Custom glass film uses the same visual vocabulary to add rhythm and privacy.

18th&Vine District in Kansas City

LOCATION:

SERVICES:

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI LOGO DESIGN, BRAND STANDARDS, PLACEMAKING STRATEGIES

18th&Vine is a historic district in Kansas City that is undergoing re-development and investment. It is known for its Jazz roots and as a hub of African-American businesses. The city-led improvements will expand live, work, play and entertainment options in the area.

Phase 1 of the re-development included a new logo and identity for the community to rally behind. Through input gathered directly from stakeholders and community members, the branding serves as a unifying symbol. Brand standards helps convey key messages as improvements move forward.

“The 18th & Vine brand identity represents Kansas City’s greatest historic entertainment district. The design elements are a reflection of the historical past and a nod to the bright future of a community...We encourage our entire community to embrace the new brand... it belongs to all of Kansas City.” - from the 18th&Vine website

The Commons for Confidential Client

LOCATION:

SIZE:

SERVICES:

ATLANTA, GEORGIA 725,000 SQ. FT.

BRAND IDENTITY, EXPERIENTIAL GRAPHICS, WAYFINDING

A public dining area for this confidential corporate client features 6 serveries over an entire floor. EXD provided custom naming and logomarks for each station. The design team organized naming options into 3 buckets related to the client’s brand and created naming briefs to keep the vision aligned through the logo development.

Each name is tied to the cuisine of the servery –‘Pepper&Root’ for a salad bar, ‘Assemble’ for sandwiches, ‘Fusion’ for sushi for example—and each logomark further connects to these identities with unique design details and signage material choices.

The Experience Design group at HOK creates dynamic environments to build brands, celebrate cultures and tell stories. Our designers are rooted in technical excellence, driven by imagination and focused on a solitary goal:

Deliver solutions that inspire clients and communities.

BRAND DESIGN

Identity and logo design

Brand applications

Media integration

Change management campaigns

New media

PLACEMAKING

Experiential graphics

Public art

Digital experiences

Storytelling displays

Donor recognition

Exhibits

WAYFINDING

Signage design and standards

Assessments

ADA and life safety

Master plan strategies

Naming and numbering

EMILY PAYNE

Director | Experience Design t +1 816.472.3219 emily.payne@hok.com

JEFF LANCASTER

Creative Director | Experience Design t +1 424 298 4633 jeff.lancaster@hok.com

STEVE WILLIAMS

Director of Operations | Experience Design t +1 713.407.7879 steve.williams@hok.com

We shared our story and we’re ready to tell yours.