Fidelity Investor Centers Placemaking
Client: Fidelity Investments, Financial Services
Project Overview:
Fidelity Investments engaged Gensler to refresh its retail branches, and Agency BEL was brought in to interpret the Fidelity brand into a 3-D space. The project involved a team of 15 architects, interior and graphic designers, and brand developers, working for almost two years on this flagship initiative. Laura Sauter, from Agency BEL, served as a brand expert on the project. The success of the flagship rollout led to a nationwide implementation across Fidelity’s investor centers.
Objectives:
- Develop a branded environment that reflects Fidelity’s values, vision, and mission.
- Enhance customer experience through strategic space planning and design.
- Create a cohesive and visually appealing environment that reinforces Fidelity’s brand identity.
- Utilize environmental graphics and design to communicate the brand’s commitment to innovation and customer service.
Strategy:
1. Brand Interpretation:
- Interpreted Fidelity’s brand into a three-dimensional space, focusing on creating an environment that aligns with the company’s values and mission.
- Emphasized transparency, movement, and accessibility to enhance the customer experience.
2. Environmental Graphics and Supergraphics:
- Designed vinyl supergraphics adhered to the glass wall of the first-floor conference room, creating a billboard effect visible from the street.
- Utilized Fidelity’s new signature colors and an updated version of its starburst logo to refresh the brand’s visual identity in the space.
3. Space Planning and Interior Design:
- Moved enclosed offices and conference rooms to the core of the space to create an uninterrupted double-height volume at the bottom of the seven-story building.
- Incorporated frameless glass offices washed by fluorescent down-lights, custom stainless-steel stands for 84-inch flat-screen TV monitors, and a full-color LED stock ticker.
4. Material and Finish Selection:
- Selected materials such as limestone for the lobby floor and bamboo for the main stairway’s tread ends to match the ground-level flooring.
- Defined meeting areas near the entry with custom rugs, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the space.
5. Customer-Centric Design Elements:
- Developed a kit of parts for the flagship, including a reception desk, conference rooms, self-service computer kiosks, and more, to maximize customer choice and access to information.
- Used running circulation routes along the glazed facade to provide passersby with a clear view of the dynamic interior space.
Execution:
Laura Sauter, with extensive experience in brand development and environmental graphic design, contributed to the project as a brand expert. Following the success of the flagship location, she stayed on to help roll out the program to investor centers nationwide, ensuring consistency and excellence in implementation.
Results:
- Enhanced Brand Visibility: The strategic placement of environmental graphics and supergraphics enhanced Fidelity’s brand visibility from the street.
- Improved Customer Experience: The redesigned space improved customer access to information and services, creating a more engaging and efficient environment.
- Brand Consistency: The use of Fidelity’s new signature colors and updated logo ensured brand consistency across all touchpoints.
Conclusion:
The Fidelity Investments placemaking project successfully transformed the company’s retail branches into branded environments that communicate Fidelity’s values and vision. By leveraging innovative design elements and strategic space planning, Agency BEL and Gensler created a cohesive and engaging customer experience that reinforces Fidelity’s commitment to excellence.
