Workplace branding is more prevalent than ever. This means that basic environmental branding is table stakes. The onus is on employers to be more thoughtful and strategic about their branding to provide a holistic and authentic branded experience that will resonate with their associates, business partners, and clientele.

On average, we spend 90% of our time in the built environment today. In a strange twist of fate, it has become our natural habitat. But we need things like natural light and materials, indoor plants, views of landscapes, and access to the outdoors to feel and do our best work.

As I travel around the country talking with educators about learning space redesign, I hear of some schools successfully transitioning into 21^st century learning spaces while others are struggling. In the successful schools the educators are seeing positive results in the new spaces; in the other schools the educators are becoming frustrated. In some cases they are even facing opposition. So I began to ask myself, “What are the common points I’m seeing in the schools that are successful? What do educators need to know to accomplish this shift?” Here are some answers.

What types of spaces spark excitement? What about spaces that catalyze action?