First
Impressions - A Joint Initiative
The First
Impressions initiative is a collaboration between the federal
government, regional and building managers, and the design
community.
Schools, hospitals, hotels, banks, and more: These buildings belong to
the American public and exist to serve them. Public architecture forms
a meaningful image in our collective imagination and together we can
make it the best image possible of an efficient, effective, and
professional society.
After a
comprehensive survey of 24 GSA facilities around the nation, a team of
architects, designers, and graphic specialists from Gensler - an
internationally recognized architectural firm - identified the factors
that most influence visitors’ first impressions of the buildings,
including: the approach and immediate exteriors; entrances; building
lobbies; elevator lobbies and corridors; elevators; stairs and
escalators; agency entrances; and public concession areas.
While most of the
buildings surveyed show that the building managers do an excellent job
of maintaining the physical facilities, other factors create negative
public impressions. For example, some buildings, in an effort to
provide services to their tenants, have inadvertently cluttered their
lobbies with temporary signs, mailboxes, and ATMs. Additionally, since
the Oklahoma City incident, many airports and buildings have been
forced to accommodate increased security that disrupts circulation in
the main public corridors. Finally, some spaces may not have been
designed appropriately from the beginning.
First Impressions suggests actions and ideas that may be
appropriate to your own situation. There are always opportunities to
create a better first impression. We encourage you to evaluate your
facility and to see how you can implement the steps of the First
Impressions program. Click here to Take
Action now.
|
FIRST
IMPRESSIONS
