Patent Lounge
Inspiring, celebrating, and protecting brilliant ideas
Role: Project Lead + Experience Designer
Commissioned by the OnePatents team at Capital One, the Patent Lounge is a permanent interactive exhibit that celebrates past, current, and future patents and the associates that came up with them. The intent of the space is to embrace inventor culture as a part of Capital One’s DNA.
Key Values
Adaptable - furniture, lighting, sound.. everything in the space should accommodate a range of occupancy (small breakouts to events)
Destination - it’s a lounge! a place where people want to hang out
Shareable - to spread “inventor culture” create something worthy of going viral
This spatial strategy reflects patents as the foundational building blocks of Capital One’s success in the tech world. It forefronts modular design, encouraging creativity by empowering users to customize their environment according to their needs and preferences. Each "block" serves a specific function and accommodates various activities, such as the impromptu coffee break between meetings, heads down work, or Patent Derby's (think hackathon for patents.)
Moodboards & Mockups
We collected precedents to help influence the tone and vibe of the space, capitalizing on the OnePatent team’s visual identity of unicorns and rainbows. Other characteristics include clean high end materials, glowing elements, & transparency.
We prototyped the Patent Lounge to create some anticipation and excitement while the site was under construction. We 3D printed the installation, modeled, lasercut, and assembled the space using a press fit method and simulated the visuals with a pocket projector. This model gave us a sense of impact that the installation would have on the space, better preparing us as we began testing content. We rendered the projection mapped animations at scale on various materials, defined appropriate pixel density for legibility, z-depth, and designed around occlusion zones.
Architectural model; press fit environment, 3D printed wall, mini projector with custom animations
Remote staging environment
Projection map simulation
Attract loop lockup
Core Features
Digital as material
The installation leverages high impact projection mapping across a 3D cube-based sculpture.
An invitation to explore
A custom tablet UI enables visitors to browse, search, and filter through the patent database; controlling various states of projected content.
Intelligent Back-end System
The experience is supported by a custom remote database allowing for off-site access to upload, refresh, and push new content, better understand how visitors are interacting with the installation, and troubleshoot any issues.
User Journey
The experience never looks the same twice, dynamically adjusting throughout the day to display different content. In it’s passive state, an attract loop of 3D illusions projection mapped across the experience generates curiosity pulling viewers in to explore. While actively engaged, users can select a patent category, search by term, or simply browse the database. Newly awarded patents and announcements are highlighted as “takeover moments.”
Custom Tablet UI
The tablet located at the center of the space empowers visitors to browse, search, and filter patents through an interface that encourages discovery. The system has a custom built user interface that ingests new patent information, prescribes a color/material code by type, and stores it in a database weekly so content is consistently updated and evergreen.
Wireframe V1
Approved UI
We retroed an existing space in a high traffic area requiring us to prep and install the space as quickly and efficiently as possibly to not disrupt the day-to-day routine. I managed many internal teams and 3rd party vendors and were met with typical challenges for an installation this big.
Since the piece is dependent on projectors, transforming the current lighting was a top priority. Other challenges included cable runs, server seclusion, and network configuration. We were in the process of installing the plexi ‘patent process’ triptych and custom tablet podium when the offices temporarily closed.
Outcomes & Lessons
We transformed the space into a destination at Capital One’s headquarters, boosting associate presence from an architectural afterthought into a vibrant epicenter for meetups and events.
The Patent Lounge became a “pin” or landmark and is now a stop on every recruiting tour. The space successfully fosters community and rewards those curious enough to interact with the informative, evergreen, and playful visuals.
Concept render
Visitor operating the tablet
On site calibrations
Various permutations
Objectives
Capital One, lagging in the creation of patents, was looking for new ways to create interest and inspiration. Their patents team had been doing ad hoc outreach and primarily generated awareness of the Patent Program through internal events. They wanted to convert every associate into an inventor but weren’t sure how to reach them.
Tone & Vibe
Celebrate spotlights the accomplishments of associates and acknowledges their hard work by creating a space that puts people at the center. It recognizes the diversity of thought at Capital One and emphasizes, as patents are permanent records, that associates are contributing to a larger, collective history.
Play is the quickest way to establish an unforgettable experience, welcoming visitors through its inviting glow, fun bold colors, and interactive elements. Always encouraging exploration through shared “wow” moments.
Spatial Elements
In collaboration with the workspace team, we spec’d a complete furniture package to tie the space together transforming a prototypical corporate room into a destination. We wanted it to feel like an art gallery (benches to spend time observing the installation) as well as a lounge (comfortable seating and tables for meetings and breaks). We also created digital signage for the grand opening to be displayed on all informational screens throughout the site.
Dynamic Color
Vibrant dichroic film wraps floor to ceiling windows and signage creating a distinct and unique space, and acting as a physical material palette reflective of OnePatent’s brand.
Elevated Furniture
Premium furniture signify the deep level of investment in inventor culture.
Interactive Materials
A custom fabricated podium and triptych art of layer materials invite visitors to explore, discover, and accentuate OnePatent’s retro future brand identity.
Bringing the Patent Lounge to Life
UX & Interaction Design: briteliteimmersive.com
Fabrication: cwwcorp.com