Avedis Foundation

Shawnee, Oklahoma

Services: Interior Design | FF&E | Outdoor Amenities | Project Management
Market: Office Park
Year Completed: March 2018

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Avedis Foundation

Elevating Innovation and Collaboration through Ontological Design

When the Avedis Foundation—a $120 million private foundation dedicated to improving health, wellness, and community vitality across Pottawatomie County—commissioned its new 5,000-square-foot headquarters in Shawnee, Oklahoma, the challenge extended beyond creating a functional workplace. Leadership wanted a space that embodied transparency, creativity, and trust while reflecting the foundation’s philanthropic mission. Color Works was engaged to deliver a comprehensive interior and signage design strategy that translated those values into a tangible experience—where every element, from furniture selection to environmental graphics, told a story of purpose.

Market Context

Located in the heart of Shawnee, the Avedis Foundation headquarters serves as a regional hub for community collaboration. As the organization’s influence grew, its leadership sought to create a home that matched the scope of its impact. The building needed to signal credibility and permanence while remaining approachable to the community it serves. In a market where nonprofit offices often prioritize efficiency over experience, Avedis set out to redefine what a philanthropic workplace could be—one that inspires those working within it as much as those it supports.

Client Goals & Challenges

The foundation approached Color Works with a clear yet ambitious vision: to design an environment that communicates mission through experience. The new headquarters needed to flex easily between staff workspaces, partner meetings, and community gatherings—all within a modest footprint and defined budget. The environment had to feel elevated without pretense, blending professionalism with warmth. Similarly, the signage program needed to express the brand confidently yet subtly, avoiding anything that felt overtly corporate. Every decision—architectural, aesthetic, or material—needed to reinforce Avedis’s guiding values of clarity, permanence, and generosity.

Design Strategy

Color Works approached the project through the lens of ontological design—the belief that the spaces we inhabit shape how we think, feel, and interact. This philosophy informed every layer of the headquarters. Flexible interior zones support multiple modes of work, from spontaneous collaboration in the “Idea Room” to moments of individual reflection. Natural materials, tunable lighting, and soft acoustic treatments create a sensory balance that encourages focus and calm. Expansive windows open to wooded views, while a spacious patio extends the workday outdoors, connecting daily operations with the rhythms of nature.

To root the environment in mission, Color Works curated a custom art program showcasing photography of the foundation’s community partners and the lives impacted by its grants. These authentic images transform hallways into visual narratives of gratitude and purpose, continually grounding the organization’s work in the stories of real people.

The signage design further unified message and material. A blend of frosted glass, bronze lettering, and acrylic accents conveyed transparency and permanence, echoing the foundation’s character. A mission statement installation anchors the conference room; frosted panels at reception establish an immediate tone of approachability; and bronze exterior lettering introduces the foundation with quiet confidence. Color Works managed every step of design development, fabrication, and installation to ensure a cohesive experience from concept to completion.

Impact for the Foundation and Community

The completed headquarters and signage program reflect Avedis’s essence—transparent, forward-thinking, and deeply human. Employees describe the space as energizing yet serene, while visitors immediately grasp the foundation’s mission upon entry. The cohesive design elevated the organization’s presence within the community, turning its headquarters into both a workplace and a hub for collaboration, celebration, and connection. For the foundation, the result is far more than a building—it is a physical embodiment of its values and a long-term investment in how it engages with the people it serves.

Your Next Step

At Color Works, we believe design should do more than impress—it should embody identity and inspire connection. Let’s talk about how intentional environments and purpose-driven details can transform your next space into a lasting expression of vision and value.

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