a new brand world

Pentagon Row Arlington, Virginia

Every time you hum a television commercial, decide to test a new flavor of toothpaste or pay more than average for a cup of coffee, you, as a consumer, are revealing a relationship with a product or company that today’s savvy companies pay great amounts of time and money to develop. This relationship, measured in emotional currency, is forged by a company’s or a product’s strategic identity—of what is commonly referred to as its brand.

In today’s competitive market, with so many shouting voices, it is difficult for one brand to stand apart from the fray. Increasingly, companies are looking for ways to achieve market differentiation, while further reinforcing their identities. A potent, compelling brand is one way to do that.

As you’d expect, brands come in many shapes and sizes. Most people think of them as a logo— a two dimensional identity that exists on a brochure or tee shirt—but more and more, businesses are coming to understand the importance and value of creating brand-rich environments. This special type of customer-facing environment choreographs a deeper, richer experience and creates a lasting memory.

But how do you get there? How do you ensure that your brand will align with your mission, while also forging critical links with your market? It begins with great design.

a new brand world taking identity to the next level

Berceo Retail and Entertainment Centre Logroño, Spain

Although design is an integral component to the creation

of brand-rich environments, the first exercise must be a

strategic one. Understanding the essence of your company

and translating it into tangible messages and a unified identity

are critical to successfully infusing your brand with your

environment. Done right, a brand-rich environment can improve

your profits by offering a wealth of benefits.

A brand-rich environment is a meeting point for corporate

objectives, values and positioning, and consequently helps

to strengthen and position the brand. It differentiates the

brand and the products from competitors. It makes buying

more enjoyable for the consumer. It increases customer and

employee brand awareness by providing a showcase for the

products. Finally, it creates a more enjoyable work environment

for employees, which translates into lower turnover and better

productivity.

unlocking value

using your brand as leverage for your bottom line

Mandarin Oriental Miami, Florida

Many people associate branded environments with retail.

Stores and shopping centers, already designed to showcase

products, make ideal spaces for communicating deeper

messages about the lifestyle components of particular brands.

But some of the most successful brand-rich environments are

those that take place outside of the retail environment,

in hotels, the workplace and even in healthcare settings.

In the workplace, branded interiors can put a corporate mission

at the fingertips of employees, visitors and clients. Whether

a firm utilizes a showroom format to bring the products and

those who represent them closer together, or simply integrates

the firm’s message throughout a traditional workplace, the

results can have significant impact on attracting and retaining

the best and brightest. In hotels, infusing the space with brand

cues can help to extend the memory and ultimately foster

guest loyalty. In healthcare environments, where customer-

focused issues are increasingly driving facilities (think women’s

health and elective surgery), brand-rich environments bring the

retail concept a step further.

brand-rich environments in hospitality, healthcare and workplace

bridging the gap

The Streets at Southpoint Durham, North Carolina

The goal of any successful brand is to express the essence—

the DNA—of the company or product it represents. Once

defined, that DNA may play out in a series of ways and in

various media. For this reason, design is a key component in

successful brand-rich environments. Without dynamic design

that reflects core values and strategy, these places can fail to

forge critical connections, or worse, they can carry the wrong

message.

The best way to achieve positive results is to create a series or

sequence of touchpoints. Every time a stakeholder (a customer,

an employee or a client) “touches” your product, workplace or

services, he or she engages in a scripted and meaningful part

of the overall experience of your brand. These touchpoints

combine to tell an overarching story, much the way chapters

of a novel tell a story. Each one must work individually, but as

a cumulative sequence, they should create a compelling and

powerful brand expression.

make the right connections

designing touchpoints

Solutia DFS Galleria On the Border David Beckham Academy Shinsei Bank Bank Spot UCI Cinemas Credit Suisse Private Advisors Hall & Woodhouse Badger Brewery Visitor Centre SRAM World Headquarters Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Mercy Medical Center Our Lucaya The Printworks Yankee Candle SubZero/Wolf Showrooms Seven Worldwide Chiao Tung Bank

our work

Solutia wanted to adopt a unique marketing approach in the interior design

of their 2,500-SF showroom. Making its debut in time for NeoCon 2002,

RTKL’s design for the space achieves two primary goals: showcasing the

Solutia brand and marketing two core products, Ultron carpet fiber and

Vanceva Design performance films.

The arresting entry façade features vibrant red lighting behind transparent

glass walls, floors, and ceilings. Solutia’s name is prominently displayed

through a recessed cutout. A custom printed carpet runner showcasing

Ultron’s color capability encourages visitors to enter the space. The

energized color scheme of the showroom reflects Vanceva Design

development, with bright red, blue, and yellow hues complimenting

polychromatic colors. Two custom display areas for prestigious annual

awards, a hands-on Vanceva display, and theater seating further the

interactive brand environment.

an interactive mix of brand and design

Solutia Chicago, Illinois

luxury brands shine in comfortable surroundings

In Naha City, Okinawa, Japan, domestic visitors used to leave

the airport and drive north in rental cars to the area’s beaches,

battling traffic on the way and completely avoiding the city.

Duty-Free Shops saw a way to change this traffic flow by

locating the airport’s rental car facility across the city from the

airport and linking the two with a new monorail system. While

travelers wait to rent their cars, the new DFS Galleria provides

100,000 SF of duty-free shopping in a convenient, luxurious

environment designed by RTKL.

In order to reduce the big-box feel of the one-story retail

space, the design team created a series of rooms, each with

a different feel and featuring a particular high-end luxury brand

or a collection of goods, such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, leather

goods or beauty. The Galleria’s exterior, which features a blend

of modern and traditional local materials, provides a fitting

gateway for tourists arriving and leaving Naha.

DFS Galleria Okinawa, Japan

a mexican restaurant redesigned to stand out from the rest

On the Border restaurant was suffering from a design that

resembled the numerous Mexican chains around the United

States. As a result, they sought a prototype redesign that could

make them stand out and more effectively communicate their

history and brand. They hired RTKL in order to get an outsider’s

perspective, and enthusiastically received RTKL’s “Casa”

redesign concept.

Based on the idea of a traditional rambling Mexican home,

the new design achieves comfort and warmth through its

materials and layout. On the exterior, stucco, stone and cedar

accentuated by bright colors are inspired by the design team’s

research trip to Mexico.

Inside, the space is broken into three distinct rooms—a central

courtyard with balconies and windows, a “family room” with

an authentic feel and warm furnishings, and a large, edgier bar

area. In the center, the Fajita Grill provides the main event, with

sights and aromas of sizzling meat and vegetables to entice

surrounding guests.

The prototype redesign has been an immense success from

both an aesthetic and an operational standpoint. Ticket times

are six times faster now, and both sales and guest volume

figures have greatly exceed expectations.

On the Border Numerous US Locations

an interactive sports facility

David Beckham Academy London, UK

As part of a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of London’s

Millennium Dome, RTKL was commissioned to design the

David Beckham Academy. Sponsored by soccer star David

Beckham, the unique design of the facility helps shape an

educational and entertainment experience for 15,000 children

annually.

Designed with an initial 10-year lifespan, the facility is an

immersive environment for visitors to five-day training camps.

The innovative shape of the building’s interior resembles

Beckham’s signature free kick, and includes two covered, full-

sized pitches. A 2,200-SM pavilion houses a reception area,

classrooms, dining facilities, locker rooms with a medical suite,

a retail store, and a variety of administrative accommodations.

The latest audio-visual technology is located throughout the

player tunnels and the stadium. The interactive design of the

facility caters directly to the Academy’s curriculum, which

focuses on the integration of education and a healthy lifestyle.

a dynamic brand sets new standards for Japanese banking

Shinsei Bank Tokyo, Japan

Shinsei Bank, under new ownership, sought a contemporary,

branded environment that would stand out from all other

Japanese banks by making banking an engaging and fun

experience. RTKL created a space that combines a personal

touch with the latest in technological expression.

From collateral material to interiors and environmental graphics,

RTKL’s design provides a complete program that emphasizes

lifestyle. Unlike the traditional cold and institutional banking

of the past, Shinsei communicates warmth by using a casual

illustrative style as the basis for the brand. Along with the new

corporate logo, this theme became the basis for credit cards,

ATMs, murals and signs. The positive result of this design

was revealed in a recent Japanese business survey that said

Shinsei’s brand awareness has greatly improved in less than a

year. The bank has managed to accomplish its high customer

acquisition targets and provide a completely new banking

“style” to tradition-dominated Japan.

While Shinsei Bank has been very successful in Japan, they

sought to extend their presence by opening a large network

of mini-branches. As efficient sub-brands, called Bank Spot,

the RTKL-designed facilities appeal to a younger market

comfortable with automated banking.

Self-service technology and innovative design are the focal

points of the small facilities, which have fewer staff and

little back-of-house operations. Each facility houses a user-

friendly series of automated banking pods, comprised of

flat-screen computers enclosed in translucent plastic casing.

The pod screens and scattered plasma screens help visually

advance the Shinsei brand. A streamlined, all-white interior

color scheme, offset by the modern shapes of the banking

equipment, emphasizes the idea of a technology-driven

environment, while dynamic signage and artwork add a

stimulating human element.

technology enhances a successful brand

Bank Spot, Shinsei Bank Various Locations, Japan

United Cinemas International, a worldwide movie theater

company, wanted to improve the aesthetic dimension of

their operations and become the “Authority of Cinema” in an

increasingly competitive and expanding cinema market. RTKL

was hired to help create a global prototype for theaters

around the world.

Through detailed research, RTKL created a brand and

identity based on a contemporary interpretation of the “golden

age” of cinema. Utilizing non-traditional elements blended

with modern interpretations of early cinema, the design

centers around customer behavior and is welcoming of all

potential customer groups. Comfortable seats and perfectly

unobstructed views compliment a highly integrated information

and wayfinding system that orients visitors and reinforces the

UCI identity at every stage. Brand is emphasized, creating a

high-quality experience reminiscent of the days when movie-

going was a night on the town.

a new identity takes movie-going back to its “golden age”

UCI Cinemas Numerous UK Locations

Located in the prestigious Four

Seasons hotel in the heart of

Miami’s international financial

district, RTKL designed the

offices of Credit Suisse Private

Advisors to stand out from its

more traditional neighbors. The

design of the 3,000-SF facility

maximizes its small space while

offering a comfortable feel in a

modern aesthetic.

Innovatively designed glass-walled

hallways give the impression

of a larger, open space. Sliding

doors and floor-to-ceiling windows

gradually increase in size along

a subtly angled ceiling that

culminates in a main reception area. Connected to the lobby are private

conference rooms, shielded by frosted glass and bronzed brick walls. The

streamlined, Asian-inspired design scheme mixes soft and bright lighting,

selectively bold artwork and plush furniture, allowing for an atmosphere

that both soothes and stimulates prestigious clientele.

sophisticated design in a high-end financial facility

Credit Suisse Private Advisors Miami, Florida

Since 1777, the family-run company of Hall & Woodhouse—

producers of beloved and award-winning beers like Badger and

Tanglefoot—have enjoyed their ascent to a position among

world-class brewers. To celebrate this success and extend their

rich history to the public, the firm invested £400,000 into the

new Badger Brewery Visitors Centre—a place that serves a

company, a community and a brand.

RTKL’s design team determined several key goals for the

project: Create a place for visitors to eat, drink and be

entertained; give the town of Blandford a higher tourism

profile; and remain true to the firm’s history, while embracing

its modern, state-of-the-art brewing practices. Overcoming

limitations of the malting facility site, the design team created

a double-height, airy interior that blends artifacts and new

materials. A modern, glass exhibition wall runs the length of

the center, providing both aesthetic and functional roles, while

a conference room, bar, restaurant, and catering kitchen add to

the overall experience.

a beloved brand celebrates its past and the future with design

Hall & Woodhouse Badger Brewery Visitor Centre

Dorset, UK

an innovative office promotes a company’s hip culture

SRAM World Headquarters Chicago, Illinois

Armed with a strong identity, SRAM, a global manufacturer of

innovative bicycle components, sought a new office design that

would reinforce its existing hip culture without reinventing it.

Their resulting world headquarters provides a high-performing

industrial yet comfortable workspace that encourages cross-

functional teaming and collaboration.

Designers and engineers at both RTKL and SRAM worked

closely throughout the project under a fast-track process.

Together, the design team transformed three floors of an

industrial loft building, adding a 650-foot oval bike test track that

doubles as a primary pedestrian circulation path. Custom re-

configurable workstations reflect the unique style of the client’s

product design. Amenities cater to the largely bicycle-riding

staff, such as locker rooms with showers and bicycle storage.

Creative selection and reuse of materials met budget goals and

provided sustainable design solutions.

a stimulating design environment for passengers on the go

Located in the new Midfield concourse at Washington Dulles

International Airport, the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is a fully-

equipped departures lounge. Designed to accommodate 75

people, the facility caters to passengers on the go with a

stimulating interior and functional amenities.

A freestanding curved wall and mezzanine pavilion divide

the clubhouse into five activity areas, all adorned with bold

colors and shapes. Filled with overstuffed leather armchairs,

the main lounge is a circular space that links to a reception

lobby, luggage stowage, a bar and pantry, a terrace library and

private shower rooms. A winding staircase with metal detailing

accesses the mezzanine level, where modern furnishings

surround a variety of audio and video entertainment. A window

wall spans the entire north side of the facility, affording an

abundance of natural light and offering panoramic views of the

airport’s classic Eero Saarinen terminal.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Loudoun County, Virginia

Mercy Medical Center, a downtown Baltimore mainstay,

underwent a massive identity revitalization to re-connect the

hospital to the community. RTKL’s comprehensive design

strengthens the Mercy brand through a flexible framework of

identity, wayfinding and environmental graphics that fosters a

comfortable, inviting patient environment.

a new logo is the first step in re-connecting a hospital to its community

Logo redesign was essential to recasting the hospital in

its surroundings. In a sea of dark buildings, Mercy was the

first to proclaim its identity to the city with a bright new

logo on the side of its tallest building, prompting a local

paper to call it, “the best addition to the Baltimore skyline.”

From there, the logo extends to collateral materials and

decorative type adorning centers of excellence and other

structures throughout the hospital. Life and faith, two

themes of the environmental design, are carried out in leaf

patterns etched on decorative screens and windows, and a

donor recognition pool incorporates the hospital’s theme of

water—a symbol for healing. Color-coded signage provides

visitors with an easily navigable route from the street to

the lobby to the appropriate elevators. Wayfinding in the

parking garage directs traffic to appropriate destinations and

reinforces the hospital’s identity.

Mercy Medical Center Baltimore, Maryland

a variety of identities diversify a resort’s offerings

Our Lucaya Grand Bahama Island

Throughout the design of Our Lucaya, one of the Grand

Bahama Island’s largest resorts, capturing and exposing the

spirit of the tropics was a large part of creating an inviting

destination. RTKL took that concept to the next level by

developing identities that span a variety of services and media.

Ideally situated on a half-mile strip along the island,

Our Lucaya is an extensive resort that invites guests to

immerse themselves in the local amenities and environment.

A pedestrian path leads visitors through the buildings,

each with a distinct look in order to appeal to a variety of

expectations. To continue this expression of an authentic

vacation spot, every amenity’s identity is different, but all

capture the spirit and meaning of the resort as a whole. From

the spa to the coffee shop, Our Lucaya represents more than

just a resort, offering an array of vacation experiences that

appeal to a variety of aspirations.

graphics enliven a revitalized bomb site

The Printworks is an essential component of the

redevelopment of Manchester city center in the aftermath

of a bombing. The five-level leisure center aims to capture

the essence of Manchester’s heritage while meeting

the commercial needs of today’s operators. RTKL’s

environmental design facilitates this need by helping to

recreate the excitement of a traditional Manchester high

street.

From the newspaper-inspired logo down to the

“manholes” in the pavement, RTKL’s design casts every

visitor in an exciting retail and entertainment destination.

Neon restaurant signs contrast with traditional-looking

product posters. Wayfinding and signage provide more than

just directions, but contribute to the feeling of standing in a

vibrant urban town center. Tenants, given design criteria that

allows for liberal expression of storefronts, add to the vitality

of the center, a true urban mecca and beacon for the future

of downtown Manchester.

The Printworks Manchester, UK

a contemporary twist on a classic brand

Seeking a total brand re-imaging, Yankee Candle Company

selected RTKL to define a style that would highlight the brand’s

strongest attributes. The resulting design prototype is a holistic

approach that embraces new and contemporary styling while

creating a sense of history and nostalgia.

The creation of strong visual connection to the brand’s

traditional fragrance, value, and history guided the design

process. A lifestyle-based environment, featuring cherry

furniture product displays, pendant lighting fixtures, and a

cozy chair alongside a fireplace allows for a comfort-driven

retail experience. A history wall reacquaints guests with the

company’s past, and dynamic signage with a new corporate

logo reaffirms the Yankee Candle name.

Yankee Candle Asheville, North Carolina

The Westye Group, distributor of Subzero refrigerators and

Wolf appliances, operates showrooms in the southeast to

assist customers, designers, architects and builders in selecting

luxury appliances customized to their needs. In order to achieve

spaces that would adequately showcase their product lines,

Westye sought the interior architecture services of RTKL to

design the company’s high-end showrooms in Atlanta and

Hollywood, Florida. A third is currently in design.

In Hollywood, the new 7,200-SF corporate facility features

a training room with an adjacent demonstration kitchen

and refrigerator-display area. The centerpiece is an octagonal

showroom featuring eight distinct kitchen vignettes,

ranging from a contemporary European kitchen to a cozy,

wood-paneled setting with wine storage and refrigeration

units. Similarly, the 14,000-SF Atlanta showroom features

eight customized kitchen vignettes in addition to a live

demonstration kitchen, wine storage and billiard room,

laundry room, and an outdoor barbeque area. In these

inviting showrooms, clients and potential customers can

interact with an array of kitchen environments,

test-drive product lines and participate in product

demonstration classes.

an inspiring showroom and cooking destination

SubZero/Wolf Showrooms Hollywood, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia

distinct offices unite into one identity

Seven Worldwide Chicago, Illinois

Seven Worldwide, a global pre-media services company,

consolidated their Chicago operations from six leased facilities

into a single company-owned loft building. The new building

unites the distinct, customer-focused locations—each with

its own production, creative and administrative staff—by

redefining the way the company works and solidifying its

niche in the market.

RTKL’s solution reflects Seven’s dynamic and interactive

culture and its exciting and inspiring brand identity. Interactive,

collaborative areas define the floor plan, with highly organized

teaming spaces, meeting rooms, lounges, coffee bars and

recreational areas. The vibrant colors and graphics that drive

the brand are exemplified in the playful patterns and hues found

in the carpet and wayfinding around the office. This highly

informal yet supremely functional environment—also featuring

mobile furniture and plug-and-play capabilities—encourages

the creative process and creates a cohesive corporate culture

and image.

Chiao Tung Bank (CTB) sought to re-invent its image, linking

its traditional reputation with a desire to be at the forefront of

the technology revolution in banking. Having set a precedent

with the re-branding of Shinsei Bank in Tokyo, RTKL was

commissioned to design an environment that would equally

reflect CTB’s unique identity and client values.

The resulting design integrates high technology with a human

appeal. Repeating patterns and graphic shapes are highlighted

by bright, recessed lighting. A cool color scheme and leather

seating maintain a streamlined look while establishing a

relaxed atmosphere. Sleek, metallic structures contain

user-friendly ATMs and flat-screen computers, serving as

focal points that emphasize CTB’s commitment to customer

service in a technology-driven setting.

brand meets technology

Chiao Tung Bank Taipei, Taiwan

Shinsei Bank Tokyo, Japan

At RTKL, we’re about more than just buildings. While we have

the experience and the know-how to deliver well-designed

places to a variety of clients, merely meeting your functional

needs is not enough to fulfill our mission. Instead, we pride

ourselves on developing long-lasting, meaningful relationships

that help companies and public institutions develop their real

estate assets. We want to get to the root of what inspires your

organization, and translate those goals and ideals into tangible

spaces that not only reflect your company’s best, but foster it

as well. Ultimately, when you succeed, we succeed.

How do we get there? By doing what we do best. We offer an

unparalleled breadth of services that, when integrated, bring

holistic solutions to even the most elusive design challenges.

From urban design, to architecture, interior design, branding

and telecommunications, our comprehensive approach ensures

a stronger, better-coordinated product.

Always at our table: great architecture. As architects, we

deliver high-quality buildings that meet your real estate goals

as much as they redefine aesthetic ones. We take that model

to the next level with interior design, bringing efficient and

comfortable environments to assist in your daily operations,

making our workplaces truly work. And if architecture is the

show, our signage, wayfinding, environmental graphics and

collateral materials are the guides, reaching out and fostering

physical connections that increase productivity and craft a

consistent sense of place.

But a well-designed building is only as successful as the

relationship it forms outside of its walls. More and more,

we are re-establishing ourselves as leaders in developing

places that connect to the environment, the community and

the world. With an extensive portfolio in planning and urban

design, we look at the spaces between buildings, public areas,

landscaping, links to transportation and use of resources

and infrastructure. The result? Long-lasting, highly relevant

places that benefit from—and catalyze—the communities

of the future.

With building for the future comes a need for flexibility and

agility in everything we do. Preparing and adjusting to changes

in the economy, security and technology are essential to

creating viable places. Some of that is achieved through

the connections we make to communities, our fluency in

environmental design and by building in adaptability. The

rest is accomplished with intelligent engineering and applied

technology services. In every project, our MEP and structural

engineering teams, our Applied Technology studio and our

telecommunications specialists provide a convergence of

technologies that meet your daily needs and increase the

value of your assets. By tightly integrating these systems with

the plan and design of buildings, we ensure fluid, cohesive,

sustainable environments that will operate smoothly today and

down the road.

Our process springs from a tight-knit corporate culture

that fosters collaboration and teamwork. Though we boast

offices throughout the country and all over the world, we are

organized by practice group, rather than geography, thereby

ensuring that every project benefits from the partnership of

our most talented people. We bring experts from all disciplines

together to serve on hospitality, corporate, public, retail and

entertainment, mixed-use and residential projects. With so

much experience in such a wide range of disciplines, we

have found we offer a unique perspective that spans these

sectors. For example, our workplace projects benefit from our

knowledge of floor plan efficiency in hospitals and user comfort

in hotels.

Ultimately, with RTKL you’ll find a talented, knowledgeable

team of experts that blends an appreciation for the human

experience with a steadfast understanding for your

bottom line. Since our start in 1946 as a two-man office

in Annapolis, Maryland, we have designed award-winning

buildings, communities, environments, and engineering and

telecommunications systems. As we enter the new millennium,

we look forward to decades more of working closely with you

to build our legacy—and yours—while designing places that

capture the human spirit today and into the future.

bare essentials

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