Environmental Design for Belonging: Don’t Be Afraid to Lean Into Culture
“Belonging means more than just being seen. Belonging entails having a meaningful voice and the opportunity to participate in the design of social and cultural structures.” -john a. powell
When you walk into your office, how does it make you feel? Like, deep in your body? What smells, sounds, colors and textures welcome you? Is there a message, or even a distinct energy, that all are welcome? Or perhaps it is sterile and a bit cold, giving soul sucking Office-Space-meets-Severance vibes.
The way a space flows offers behavioral cues for how to show up and who is really wanted. It can either make someone feel that they belong, or make them feel othered, or outside the group.
At times we are so focused on trying to design spaces that include everyone we actually include no one and say nothing, missing the point entirely. That’s incredibly apparent in so many of our offices today. There’s a sea of joyless gray boxes no one really enjoys spending time in. Rather, as we strive to reimagine the future of work post pandemic, I urge us to consider leaning into our shared cultures and celebrate diversity in our design, not stray away from it out of fear.
One great example of a space that signals belonging is the Intercultural Center at Texas Christian University. Upon entering, I felt an instant shift in my body. A joyfully vibrant mural at the entrance made me feel energized, while an adjacent plant wall induced feelings of calm, as I noticed my breath naturally elongate. Life-sized imagery of some lesser known heroes like Black transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson and public health advocate Paul Farmer span the walls and office doors. A wall filled with colorful flags from around the world signals that all cultures are welcome, while a wheelchair-accessible hearth recesses into the floor at the center of the space, inviting intimate conversations and deep connection.
Levers of Design for Belonging (Susie Wise)
Design for Belonging Levers
In Design for Belonging, Susie Wise of Stanford’s d. school explores nine Levers of Design, or frameworks, to create belonging based on her research referencing a diverse set of scholars and activists. Some of the levers include elements like Space, Communications, Food and Schedules & Rhythms. These tools can cultivate inclusive environments and positive experiences, create meaningful moments and encourage authentic self expression.
I had the opportunity to meet Wise and her colleague Morgan Vien last year for a Design for Belonging workshop, where we took part in a design sprint to create a culture of belonging at a local college campus. After engaging in some improv-related exercises with the group, including my personal favorite –creating a secret handshake with someone I’d just met–we explored how these levers could help us solve a DEIB-related challenge.
The levers helped us navigate an incredibly complex concept like belonging with curiosity and empathy, while constructing a quick prototype within a span of just a few hours. It was through Wise’s and Vien’s brilliantly nuanced process that unlocked potent new ways of thinking to make the university a wholly inclusive space. The workshop was incredibly powerful to say the least; in fact, it inspired me to get my own certification in Design Thinking.
Third Places at Work
A central way my team and I have been navigating belonging design is through creating “third place zones” in our workspace, which serve as micro environments for human flourishing. First places are at home, where we can be informal, while second places are at work, where we have a more public persona.
According to brilliant architect and host of the “Shared Spaces” podcast Erin Peavey, “third places allow us to authentically connect with each other. They boost diversity and well-being.” She also points out that since they tend to match the social support that we might miss elsewhere in life, they serve as an enabling place, which helps us to more authentically show up at work. She identifies key design aspects of connection with PANACHe, a wonderfully clever term highlighting elements like nature and sense of place. According to Peavey, the concept of “place is imbued with values, culture and meaning,” and contributes to a sense of ‘ambient belonging’--or how the built environment signals to others whether or not they are welcome. This powerful idea, when applied to the workplace, gives us the power to design offices that reflect the diverse lived experiences and rich histories of the people that comprise our organizations.
Representative Design
“Stories become the vehicles we use to define ourselves and the places we inhabit and utilize. So, whose stories are being told? Whose pictures do we see?” -Carolyn Finney
While much discourse on belonging focuses on psychological safety, or safe spaces from a design perspective, I urge us to think a bit deeper. I want us to consider how each element in our workplaces can reflect a diverse range of lived experiences and infuse a collective sense of appreciation–from the artwork on the wall to the rugs on the floor, the furniture and lighting, the scents and sounds that permeate our spaces.
An Indigenous artisan handcrafts a barro negro, or black clay, vessel emblematic of the distinct style from Oaxaca, Mexico.
People are the center of design–it's not some abstract concept, but rather a deeply connected web that ties us to the earth and each other. I’ve had the great privilege to work with artisans around the world in fair trade partnerships for over 15 years, and I believe it is critically important for us all to consider the impact of the materials we source for our interiors on people and the planet.
Items that are handcrafted invite us to learn about the story behind them. They carry a uniquely spiritual quality, connecting us in subtle but powerful ways. Artisan-made items, like colorful handwoven baskets from Uganda and cheerful barro rojo pottery from Oaxaca, reflect diverse heritages, some of which date back centuries, and often a deep connection with nature.
As an artisan from Mbare, a pan African artisan decor company says, "We are messengers of culture, enthusiastically bringing the spirit of Africa to you. The African culture is rich in creativity and craftsmanship, and we invite you on our adventure to share in the heart of it."
All About The Vibes: Optimizing Energy & Brain Health
“Once you truly understand that you are just beautiful energy, wrapped in human form, your fear of 'otherness' will disappear, and you will experience deep belonging and fellowship” -Radha Agrawal
Energy powerfully shapes community in our sense of belonging. How we cultivate energy in the workplace is crucial to the performance and engagement of our teams.
The key to protecting and increasing energy lies in understanding our brain health. Feelings of belonging to a group make us feel like we’re bigger than ourselves, strengthening brain connectivity and triggering the release of “feel good” neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. They reduce stress and can significantly improve mood, enhance learning and boost memory retention.
As a neurodesigner, I am constantly considering how our spaces can enhance cognitive function and cultivate positive energy while instilling a sense of belonging. Sensory design is key to accommodating neurodivergent team members, yet it’s often not a consideration in workplaces, or if is, can often feel “otherizing” to have to enter a separate room to access. Why not bake the sensory design components like fiber optic lights and interactive kinetic sculptures into the overall design, so we are all invited to partake?
Good design lets us curate our workspaces to simultaneously celebrate diversity and our shared humanity. True belonging goes hand in hand with equity and inclusion. So the next time you step into your office, I want you to reimagine it as a warm, open space full of art and positive energy that invites all who walk through to feel they can be their fully authentic selves. Now wouldn’t that make work feel like a destination, not an obligation? So join me in turning our joyless gray boxes into canvasses for belonging and culture, designed for all to thrive.
5 Tips For Designing Spaces of Belonging
1. Lobby Flair: The lobby is a key area for invitation and sets the tone for a space. How does your lobby instantly make visitors and employees feel welcome?
2. Representative Decor: Does your space reflect the socio-cultural diversity of your team? Think about the artwork, photos and messaging around the office. Whose story and art is being celebrated?
3. Nature-forward: Does your office bring nature indoors? Plants, moss walls, natural light, water features and natural scents and soundscapes are key elements of biophilia.
4. Thinking Zones: Are there designated spaces or zones to accommodate different types of thinking–like focusing, innovating, and recharging– and personalities–for instance, introverts and extroverts.
5. Participation & Invitation: Is there a permanent, community-oriented place in your office that invites team members to contribute and share their personalities? Imagine a community board with photos, messages and objects that reflect your team.
Design for Belonging Checklist
Though the list below is not exhaustive, it’s a tangible road map to ensuring your spaces are consciously inclusive:
Nature
Organic elements that stimulate all five senses (plant walls, organic essential oils, nature soundscapes, water features, rocks)
Natural and circadian lighting
Biomorphic forms and patterns (for example hexagons that mimic bee hives, Fibonacci spirals)
Prospect and refuge (not sure how this fits in here)
Accessibility
Accessibility Design: Does your office design go beyond the legal requirements like wheelchair ramps and railings to allow for easy access for people with different kinds of bodies, mobilities and assistive devices that’s truly inclusive and caring and not othering (aka making someone feel outside of the norm or high maintenance/burden)?
Universal design principles
Sensory decor, along with sound, scent and tactile considerations for neurodivergent employees
Nursing mothers
Representation & Thoughtful Sourcing
Positive messaging on walls & signage, such as posters of clients you serve.
How do visual stories or media signal belonging for previously marginalized groups (Trans and non-binary folks, differently abled people, diverse age ranges and mobilities)?
Decor that shares an inclusive and equitable story (aka no exploitation of people and planet)
Participation & Invitation
Decor that encourages participation, like quick prototyping materials, community chalk boards or hula hoops
Positive messaging on walls & signage, such as posters of clients you serve. How do visual stories or media signal belonging for previously marginalized groups?
Inclusive decor that invites all to experience sensory design, like interactive design elements, which can accommodate neurodivergent employees without othering them
