Existing in a market that is highly competitive and complex is a challenge. Building a unique image that triggers a clear mental image of a company has been a fundamental step to holding its own ground in the market. A clearer mental image results in a greater probability of accelerating higher credibility and brand value for a company. That is where corporate architecture comes in.
Standardized, glossy buildings have become a common sight in developed countries. The desire for architectural assets to become more liquid is prevalent in the contemporary market. The high degree of standardization is an understanding of its uniqueness. The liquidity of assets becomes related to spatial standardization. Standardization coupled with iconicity advertises standardized assets. This phenomenon of iconicity or brand image can be easily understood by the Bilbao effect. But what is the Bilbao effect?
The Bilbao Effect refers to the power of architecture that has the capability to transform a dull, slow-running city into a bustling metropolis. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is one of the largest museums in Spain. Architect Frank Gehry designed a spectacular building in the style of deconstructivism. It is known for its unique asymmetric design. The museum, with its mesmerizing aesthetic, helped transform the city of Bilbao in a classic Bilbao Effect manner. Once, the city used to be the center for factories, offices, and other economic activities but had begun to lose its pomposity rather quickly. But once the museum was established, it strengthened the economy of the city, which is what Bilbao needed. The museum brought the city about $500 million in economic activity, investment, and $100 million in taxes in its first three years, increasing its international profile.
Signature buildings have become a key part of branding. The architecture of a company is a huge part of its corporate identity. The architectural language, structure, design, building materials, and color coding represent the business philosophy. All of these, in most cases, have a purpose. Corporate architecture achieves its goal when it reflects the vision, goals, identity, and spirits of an organization through its design and structure. Through the architectural design and all the splendor that leads to the identification, a conversation occurs between the viewers and the corporate companies.
The design of buildings fulfills a purpose. The buildings can be residential or commercial properties, but the design of the buildings gives their owners and architects visibility as well by creating a unique, signature identity. Sometimes these structures do not outshine the urban environments it is situated in, but in modern cities, the high-rise buildings give a sense of hyper-urbanization. The corporate buildings give a unique identity to the area that houses them and defines the area that surrounds them. This can bring with it a lot of potential and alienation. Well, how does it alienate, you ask?
The interplay between architecture and corporate brands leads to the construction of pompous three-dimensional spatial structures, which positively affect the brand experience. Winston Churchill acknowledged architecture as a social art. He says, “We shape our buildings, and afterward, our buildings shape us.”
Inward-looking, one-dimensional design may end up being subpar if it can not even communicate the message to the viewers. Well-conceived, detailed spatial relations are essential. At a time when the market is more competitive and, as a result, more and more demands are being placed on companies, corporate architecture needs a wider, more thought-out, and more complex view. Corporate companies are more diverse and inclusive now. Reflecting on contemporary times is always important. No one will be able to connect with or be fascinated by a backdated architectural design. Building design needs to reflect the vision, message, and policies of the company to which it belongs.
Corporate architecture must also be aware of both the future of the surrounding area and the company’s own future. Recently, one of the trends in corporate architecture includes looking at buildings in the context of the landscape. Architectural design is also a business resource now. This change focuses on patterns of work created by new technology and the demands of the ‘millennial’ worker, the character and authenticity of the work environment. Visual differentiation becomes a key characteristic.
We can look at the example of the Volkswagen Group to put things into perspective. The Volkswagen Group went through a comprehensive process of change under Ferdinand Piëchs. It was necessary that the company would no longer be perceived only as a car manufacturer as the group significantly broadened its range of products. As a result, the public no longer had a clear image of what the brand actually stood for. The new values include quality, performance, sustainability, and customer proximity. The architecture firm managed by Gunter Henn created a space where the design, the structure, and the entire area give the impression of a self-contained town with a central focus on the automobile and mobility.
For a strengthened future, long-standing success, and effective ∙communication, the technique of “storytelling” is playing an increasingly important role. It is necessary that the target groups remember the brand message and associate positive feelings with it. Branding through corporate architecture must focus on three conditions:
< stellar and unusual design should increase media coverage;
< the design needs to convey the core message clearly; finally,
< architecture should communicate the brand values and anchor them in the minds of the target group.
Corporate architecture in the big cities, in the form of super-tall towers, sometimes plays the role of alienating us. For example, a super slender tower minimizes the possibility of bumping into neighbors. A heightened degree of frictionless social life, or, in other words, social disentanglement, is a big component of this.
In this time of fierce global competition, corporate architecture has been recognized. It is essential that the buildings convey continuity, which is necessary for brands to be recognized and to build trust.
Author- Tahia Afra Jannati
