We live in the spaces we work

By Tyler Cheli , Design Director

During a recent new business pitch, a prospective client told me that “GHD lives in the spaces you work.” This statement landed with such refreshing clarity that I haven't stopped thinking about it.

At GHD, we make it our mission to immerse ourselves so far into our clients’ environments that it’s as if we become a part of their team. We believe environmental graphic design is 10% about the space itself and 90% about the people who use it. Successful environments don’t just reflect companies, they reflect their people, and to do this correctly we need to understand the key users. As the cornerstone of our design process, this thinking is second nature—it’s the motivating force behind every decision we make. So why was I so caught off guard when I heard this?

This prospective client did more than just listen to our pitch, they understood who we are and summarized it into a new perspective for us to appreciate. They took a complex concept and simplified it into something so easily understood that it felt obvious. This is the exact thing we do with our clients every day. We create new perspectives by striving to truly understand the most important thing about them—their people.

So to that prospective client, thank you for listening. Really listening to our pitch. You opened my eyes to a new aspect of how we work as a team. You turned the mirror on our design process, and I will be amused by your slice of perspective for the foreseeable future.