How Built Spaces Are Evolving and How One Designer Jumped Into the Fray
A conversation with Scott Petrichko, Co-founder & Creative, Outerface
In 2020, the world shut down, leaving hotels and office spaces in limbo. As the world began to recover, the financial crisis at China Evergrande Group—the world's most indebted real estate developer—emerged in August 2021, reigniting concerns about office and retail spaces.
Some companies opted for remote work, others adopted hybrid models, while some mandated a return to the office. But what about spaces reliant on foot traffic, like hotels, hospitals, and universities? How would they reinvent themselves? Designer Scott Petrichko saw an opportunity in this challenge.
The Freelancers: How has your career path taken you on this new adventure to create Outerface?
Scott: I recall coming out of school with industrial and graphic design degrees and no definitive idea of what my career would be. This cluelessness allowed me to take any opportunity that came my way. Each opportunity taught me something (sometimes the hard way.) Fast forward two decades and those multidisciplinary experiences aligned with my design point of view and the post pandemic shifts in built environments. Whether it’s the entrepreneurial spirit or the internal need to build something, the opportunity was there.
The Freelancers: Working for brands can be difficult but starting a business at the same time can be even more challenging, what trials and tribulations have you faced and conquered?
Scott: Whether it’s working for a brand or an agency on many brands, you typically wear just one hat. You get really good at wearing that one sweat stained hat with a brim curved just right. Maybe it’s in my DNA, but I like to try on other hats and continue learning. That said, I can’t wear them all, and I have a partner that compliments my skillset, allowing each of us to flex a little.
The Freelancers: Having art directed and designed spaces before, what shift have you seen in a post Covid world?
Scott: I think we can all agree that the workplace will never be the same. Retail, hospitality, and higher education are all shifting in a similar manner. Right now, offices seem to be in an amenities race - more treadmills, more snack stations and/or more ping pong tables, trying to encourage employees to spend more time in the office. But beyond that, one major shift I’ve noticed has been the importance and attention to the vibe of the space. The emotional connection relies on the design and spaces need to be pleasing, entertaining, comfortable, etc. To sum it up, designing the physical space well makes it and its inhabitants perform better. These days, the physical space impacts its digital footprint too (whatever we create is likely to make its way onto Instagram for example). It all starts with knowing your audience, and Outerface is great at pinpointing and understanding different audiences.
The Freelancers: What are you seeing brands and companies trying to achieve bringing people into their spaces?
Scott: To oversimplify, brands and companies are trying to achieve an emotional connection. Watch the Inside Out movie to understand the power there. So the question is, what are they doing to try and achieve this connection? This can be case specific. For some it’s through entertainment and experience. Others focus on health and wellness, like the current trend around sleep is big in the hotel industry. There’s also a balancing between automation and personal service.
The Freelancers: What’s that shift been like for you as a designer?
Scott: Well, I am still a designer, it’s the way I think, about color, type, materials, and both positive and negative space. Everything between then and now has been a series of incremental steps - a logo, a business card, a wedding invite, a website, a national campaign, the launch of an institute, and now for Outerface, an office buildout for the longest running (pun intended) marathon in the country. Each was invaluable in my growth and the growth of our company. One shift I can point to is having a lot of fun again.
The Freelancers: What do you see in the future of built spaces and what’s the experience headed toward?
Scott: At Outerface we feel we’re at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to changes in the built environment. The effects of hybrid work are beginning to show up in new multi-family apartments and office buildings, which emphasize mixed uses. The pandemic accelerated work from anywhere, shop from anywhere, and take-out from anywhere and brands are adapting. Spaces will need to adapt too.
Scott Petrichko is the co-founder of Outerface, you can view their work at theouterface.com
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