When Tokyo Electron (TEL) decided to commission an art package for their new US headquarters in Austin, Texas, they chose us to help them do it. To support employees through the transition to a new workplace, they wanted art that would not only elevate the space but also become a tool for change management. We interviewed TEL Director of Facility Operations Vanessa Ayala for this case study of an intentional art package that’s a powerful business asset.
The Challenge:
For 30 years, TEL was located in southeast Austin on an acreage teeming with wildlife and natural beauty. The move to a new, state-of-the-art, smart office tower in the center of the city was not just logistical; it was a cultural shift for their employees, many of whom have a long tenure.
“Some people, that might have been their first job and they kind of grew up at that space,” Ayala says. “So moving, it was like, mom and dad are selling the house, right? After you go off to school. So, we were very cautious about the emotional impact that the move would have.”
The Solution:
The company commissioned a strategic art collection that honors their favorite things about the old workplace while promoting employee engagement at the new one. A cross-section of employees were recruited to help select the art. A total of 25 artists were commissioned to contribute to the artwork displayed across the company’s three floors in the new facility. Through the process, committee members developed a sense of ownership, not just for the art, but for the new location. They became ambassadors for the art package and helped generate excitement for the move across the organization.
Art + Artisans walked TEL through the entire process from creating the art selection commitee to identifying art criteria, selecting the art, procuring it and having it installed for display.
Art as a Change Management Tool
Inviting employees to participate in the art selection process better positions your art program to succeed because the art will resonate with more members of your workforce. In the case of TEL, it had the added benefit of generating excitement for the upcoming move.
Engaging Employees in the Process
TEL recruited employees to participate in the art selection committee from the company’s diverse set of employee resource groups. This allowed key employees to become active participants in creating the look and feel of the new office. Committee members were encouraged to share progress with colleagues. This turned them into ambassadors for the art and the new office, generating buy-in across the company. “We ended up having maybe eight voting committee members. And I believe everyone was really satisfied with the overall product,” Ayala says.
Honoring History and Embracing the Future
The committee meticulously planned the art selection criteria to reflect the company’s identity as the US headquarters of a Japanese-owned global corporation. The art also integrates themes of nature and technology. This bridges the employees’ favorite thing about the old campus, the natural environment, with the urban, tech-forward feel of the new office.
TEL commissioned a strategic art package that honors their Japanese heritage and their Austin, Texas location.
The Return on Investment: Art’s Impact on the Workforce
Investing in an intentional art package has provided TEL with more than just aesthetics for their new office. The strategically curated art enhances employee engagement, creativity and connection. It reinforces the company’s brand, values, and culture and it provides opportunities for the organization to strengthen ties to the community.
Sparking Community, Connection and Collaboration
“Employee experience is one of our core initiatives,” Ayala says. “When it comes to creating a workplace that people want to show up for, that’s very important to us.” The new office is designed to drive people toward a communal area. “That’s where our cafe and our great areas are, versus in the past, we had many smaller break areas,” Ayala adds. “In that space, we have this piece of art on three columns that spans three different floors.” The artwork, made of interlocking ceramic pieces—one for every active employee at the time of commission—is one the company loves to call out. “I can tell everyone, just pick whichever one represents you, and that one’s yours,” Ayala says.
Inviting Curiosity and Providing a Mental Break from Work Screens
The committee selected art that is complex and layered enough to engage employees over time, providing a mental break from their work screens. “We were really looking for something that was going to encourage people to get up and appreciate. Where people would see something different each time. Something that was a little bit different than their computer screen all day long,” Ayala says. She reports employees spending time looking at the art up close, trying to figure out how a piece was made, or even trying to reverse engineer it.
Reinforcing the company’s brand, values and history.
Each art piece tells a story that reinforces the company’s brand, values and history. One sculpture made from recycled keyboard keys becomes a game of word search for those paying attention. “We hid a whole bunch of Easter eggs,” Ayala says. “If you go and study it, you can find all of our different values and competencies hidden in the keys.”
For the conference rooms, named after trees and flowers, art was commissioned to subtly reference each name. For example, the Cypress room features abstract art inspired by the root system of a cypress tree.
“Many of the conference room names were carried over from the old campus as a way for us to bring over some of the familiar from our previous location,” Ayala says. Whenever possible, teams were placed next to the same conference room they sat near at the old office. This attention to detail elevates the whole space from a randomly decorated corporate office to a curated choice that showcases the company’s commitment to consistency and intentional design.
A Focal Point for Employee and Community Engagement
The new art has become a focal point at company events helping TEL continue their tradition of honoring community connections and making space for art. “At our old location, we had this beautiful lobby. We almost used it as a mini art gallery at times, partnering with local artists where they would come in and show a whole bunch of art,” Ayala says. “As we started building this new location, it was very important to us to be able to honor that history.”
Open House
At an open house at the new office, employees and their family members were able to take a self-guided tour. QR codes provided information on each art piece, transforming the art into a point of pride and connection for employees and their loved ones.
Leadership and VIP Tours
When company leadership visited from around the world, employees were able to highlight several pieces of the new art collection. This helped them tell the story of the company’s US headquarters in an engaging way for these VIP visitors from around the globe.
Artist Appreciation Event
The company invited the local artists to the open house to see their installed work. This allowed TEL to continue the tradition of making space for art and artists at their new location.
Pictured in this gallery are three images of the Primrose conference room at the new TEL headquarters. In Japanese culture, the primrose flower is associated with springtime and new beginnings. TEL conference rooms are named after trees and flowers and display art that subtly references the name of each room. Also: An installation made of interlocking ceramic pieces spans three columns and three floors in the common area of the new office. The art package has become a focal point at company events helping TEL continue their tradition of honoring community connections and making space for art.
The Value of an Art Consultant
For TEL, the value of working with Art + Artisans went well beyond sourcing art. We were a methodical, strategic partner who streamlined the process and provided a level of expertise and reach that surprised them.
They’re Methodical
Ayala says, “The very methodical process” Art + Artisans presented of, “Here’s how we’re going to take you from here to here,’” led TEL to choose us for this project. “Along with the scaling and flexibility they were able to present to us,” she adds.
They Streamline the Selection Process
“The fact that they were able to hear our feedback and then go out and source different pieces based off of what we were sharing, it was so helpful. It really took all of that activity off of anyone from our team and then we were just able to show up and give an opinion. Which, for our team, was pretty easy,” Ayala says.
They Have a Surprising Level of Art Expertise and Reach
Ayala was surprised by the span and variation of art that Art + Artisans was able to show the selection committee. “The way that they were able to take feedback and pivot quickly to take us in a different direction,” she says. “Even from the very beginning, they were familiar with the sculptor who had done our crane sculpture in our lobby and we had some really rich discussion about that from day one. So it just was a really great collaboration.”
They Make the Process Seamless
Ayala says working with project managers from Art + Artisans throughout the selection process was “seamless” for her team. “They shared the background of each artist and explained to us why they brought us certain pieces. So we got the ‘why’ behind it as well, which was really helpful for our teams.”
They Help Create the Model for Future Locations
“We’re continuing to work with Art + Artisans and I think that’s the greatest testimonial ever,” Ayala says. “This was the model for our future locations. And as much as possible, we want to continue to share this experience with our teams as we select more art pieces for our other locations. Our industry is just going to continue to grow, and we recognize how the future of the workforce is shifting and what’s important to them, and we want to make sure that we build that into the future of TEL.”
”We’re continuing to work with Art + Artisans and I think that's the greatest testimonial ever.
Vanessa AyalaDirector, Facility Operations, TEL
Conclusion: A Model for the Future of Work
This case study illustrates how a strategic, intentional art package is a powerful tool for business. TEL was able to use their art package for change management during a historic transition for the company. Art + Artisans was a strategic partner who streamlined the art procurement process so it felt seamless. TEL was so happy with the resulting art package that they continue to work with us on subsequent projects. “This has become the model for our future spaces,” Ayala says, confirming the art program’s success not as one-off project, but a foundational element of their long-term strategy.
Let Art + Artisans help your business create an intentional art package that works for you. Contact us to discuss your next project.
