Company Culture
Arts / Coworking / Roundups

Art at work: How 10 Philly workspaces are embracing their creative sides

Take a look at how universities, tech companies and coworking spaces have incorporated art into their offices.

A mural by local artist Martha Rich at Cambridge Innovation Center. (Courtesy photo)
As more employers are embracing open-concept floor plans, coworking spaces and work-from-home flexibility, the image of a standard office has changed considerably.

At many Philly-area spaces, art and creativity has become a large part of those changes.

Around Technical.ly HQ, we’ve spotted how art fits in at 1776 Washington Square:

Rachel Zimmerman, the executive director of InLiquid, a nonprofit that works to bring exposure to local visual artists, says that people often underestimate the importance of art in the workplace.

“You spend a lot of time in the spaces that you work in,” she said. “It should resonate. It should be something people want to interact with and see.”

Zimmerman said that often businesses don’t think about what art they can incorporate into a space until it’s already been completed.

“But it’s got to be an environment that you’re comfortable working in,” she said. “Thinking about how art exists in that space is a really important part of it.”

And with a huge community of creatives in Philadelphia, it’s the perfect place to work with a local artist, she said.

“We’ve got such good work, such a range of artists, there’s no reason you have to buy work from Ikea or big box stores,” Zimmerman said.

Take a look at how some Philly companies have incorporated murals, prints, painting and 3D pieces into their workspaces:

Think Company

The lobby at Philly Think Space.

The lobby at Think Company, by artist Jen Renshaw. (Courtesy Suzanne Cotter)

Artist Jen Renshaw from Bristol created work in the lobby at Think Company at 15th and Sansom streets.

Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics

A mural at Drexel's College of Computing & Informatics (Courtesy photo)

A mural at Drexel’s College of Computing & Informatics (Courtesy photo)

The College of Computing & Informatics at Drexel University hired Philly-based illustrator/graphic designer Melissa McFeeters to install two murals on the 10th and 11th floors of its building at 3675 Market St.

“Both murals visualize the way data and tech are woven throughout our lives,” the college tweeted.

Campus Philly

Art hung at Moore College of Art and Design by graduate Kelly Kozma.

Art by Moore College of Art and Design graduate Kelly Kozma. (Photo courtesy of Deborah Diamond)

At Campus Philly, a piece by 2010 Moore College of Art and Design graduate Kelly Kozma hangs in the office.

Temple University School of Medicine

Sculptures of cells hanging in the lobby of Temple's school of medicine.

Sculptures of cells hanging in the lobby of Temple’s school of medicine. (Courtesy Cassandra Wolsh)

When you walk into the lobby of Temple’s school of medicine, you’re greeted by these floating cell sculptures.

Cambridge Innovation Center

A text bubbles mural by local artist Martha Rich at Cambridge Innovation Center.

A text bubbles mural by local artist Martha Rich at Cambridge Innovation Center. (Courtesy CIC)

Local artist Martha Rich created this text bubbles mural at coworking space Cambridge Innovation Center. Rich’s work is often inspired by conversations or words she overhears while working on her pieces, the coworking space said.

Health Union

A mural in Health Union's event space.

A mural in Health Union’s event space. (Courtesy Stephen Wilson)

Health Union, headquartered on Chestnut between 12th and 13th, added Jason Kelce to this mural in their event space not long after the Eagles won the Super Bowl, per the company’s president’s request.

City of Philadelphia Innovation Lab

Eric Okdeh, a lead artist with Mural Arts, working on the mural in the City’s Innovation Lab. (Courtesy Eliza Pollack)

This mural, at the City’s Innovation Lab on the top floor of the Municipal Services Building, was commissioned to commemorate Philly’s “firsts” — things that were invented, founded or happened in the city.

Hero Digital

Hero Digtal's commissioned work depicting the company's name.

Hero Digtal’s commissioned work depicting the company’s name. (Courtesy Sabina Leybold)

Hero Digital, a Manayunk-based costumer experience company, commissioned work that depicts its name in Morse Code, Braille and ASL.

AWeber

A mural in AWeber's workspace.

A mural in AWeber’s workspace. (Courtesy Brandon Olson)

Local artist David Guinn completed a mural for AWeber, an email marketing company based in Chalfont.

To see more office spaces, check out Technical.ly’s Philly’s 2019 coworking guide.

Companies: Hero Digital / Health Union / 76 Forward / Cambridge Innovation Center / AWeber / Drexel University / Moore College of Art and Design / Temple University
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