One of the most effective ways to help people understand your company’s brand and values is to incorporate environmental branding into your work setting. When your brand and message are clearly displayed throughout your entire space, your company’s value is increased in the eyes of both your employees and clientele.

We recently were given the opportunity to implement elements of an inspirational branded environment for LifeWay Christian Resources’ new 273,000 square foot corporate headquarters building in downtown Nashville. We were fortunate to work with Skanska USA, LifeWay’s general contractor, to plan, build and install custom signage and displays throughout the new building.

The LifeWay headquarters building in Nashville has a new inspirational branded environment.

Here’s a summary of the many environmental branding projects we were involved in at LifeWay:

Stained Glass Story Panels:

When you enter the lobby at LifeWay, you immediately notice the beautiful stained glass panels that hang from the ceiling. The panels, which depict the lessons Jesus taught in eight parables,  originally hung in the Van Ness Auditorium in Sullivan Tower for nearly 50 years. The description about the panels states, “While capturing LifeWay’s past, the panels continue to inspire employees and visitors with the wonder of God’s love and his story of redemption told in the parables of Jesus.”

The main lobby of the LifeWay headquarters building contains vibrant stained glass story panels and a scripture above the floating staircase.

To tell the stories in the panels, we built and installed five glass displays just below them. The 3’ x 10” displays fit into a 15’ recessed area in the wall, held in place by a custom-designed aluminum U-shaped channel. The displays were constructed out of specially treated tempered glass, which is about four times stronger than "ordinary," or annealed, glass.

The graphics on the displays were printed second surface on the back of the tempered glass using our flatbed printer. During the second surface application process, the graphic printed on the glass was reversed and applied on the backside (or second surface) for viewing from the front. The result is an eye-catching, yet clean look that tells the story without taking away from the vibrant beauty of the stained glass panels.

We designed and installed the glass display which explains the story in the stained glass panels.

Eight parables from the bible are depicted in the stained glass panels.

Dimensional Letters:

In the main reception area and on the conference level, we installed LifeWay’s striking dimensional letter logo signs. These signs were made with ¾” acrylic with a ⅛” bevel on the face of the letters. They were painted with a satin white finish. The conference level sign was installed on drywall, while the main lobby’s reception area sign was installed on a wall covered in fabric.

This eye-catching LifeWay sign was created with dimensional acrylic letters painted with a white satin finish.

LifeWay's dimensional logo sign is beautifully displayed in the main lobby reception area.

We installed another dimensional LifeWay sign on a fabric-covered wall on the conference level.

Video Wall Tagline:

On the conference level of the building, we fabricated and installed a sign to accompany the video wall, which says “Biblical Solutions for Life.” This sign was created using ¼” aluminum flat cut letters with a glossy white satin finish.

This dimensional sign, created with 1/4" flat-cut aluminum, was installed on the video wall.

Stair Scripture:

According to LifeWay’s website, the word "LifeWay" is rooted in Jesus' words in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." The three words — way, truth, and life — illustrate the many dimensions of the saving work of Christ.

This is an important verse that is at the very foundation of LifeWay’s mission. So what better way to deliver that message than to place it directly above the main lobby’s floating staircase?

To accomplish this, we laser cut the verse’s letters out of ¼” clear acrylic. The letters were painted with a satin white finish.  We installed the verse above the lobby’s floating staircase. As you can see, this particular job was not for the faint-hearted!

This verse, created with dimensional letters, was installed above the floating staircase in the main lobby at LifeWay's new headquarters.

Cafe Entrance Sign:

The LifeWay Cafe sign, which is located at the cafeteria’s entrance, was constructed with rigidized textured aluminum. The words “LifeWay Cafe” were cut into the aluminum with a waterjet. The ends were bent to match the angle of the wooden slats on which the sign was fastened. The sign was attached to the wooden slats using carriage bolts.

The LifeWay Cafe sign, constructed with rigidized textured aluminum, is located at the cafeteria’s entrance.

Scripture Panels:

LifeWay’s vision is: “As God works through us, we will help individuals and churches by providing biblical solutions for life.” This vision is made evident through a set of seven inspirational scripture verses which were installed next to the elevators on each floor of the building. The beautiful 60” x 81” signs were made from ¾” wooden panels with graphics which were digitally printed using our flatbed printer.

We installed seven of these inspirational scripture panels throughout the new LifeWay headquarters building.

As you can see, all of these elements provide visitors and employees with a clear understanding of LifeWay’s mission, vision and values. Along with the lobby’s light and expansive architecture, the signs and displays work together beautifully to create the clean, inspirational atmosphere that LifeWay wishes to convey.

Does your company’s workspace inform and inspire? Do employees and visitors clearly understand your company’s brand and values when they walk into your space? From custom signage, elevator and window graphics, wall murals, and standup displays, there are so many ways you can transform your company’s workspace. Just contact us and we’ll start the planning process right away!