Environment is (almost) everything
A colorful, playful vibe pervades the Catalyst Ranch meeting space in Chicago.
Albert Einstein said that he never taught his pupils, he only attempted to provide the conditions in which they could learn. Though she may shrink in humility at the comparison to Einstein, Eva Niewiadomski, founder of Catalyst Ranch in Chicago, has created a successful business based on this precise insight— that environment trumps almost everything.
Catalyst Ranch is a 15,000 square foot meeting space designed to stimulate and invigorate creativity. It is furnished with funky retro chairs and tables, brightly colored walls, and plenty of toys. Food and treats are always on hand too. With a vibe that has been dubbed “playful on purpose,” Catalyst Ranch provides the conditions which enable effective dialog and innovation.
On any given day, the spaces are filled with groups from a wide range of Fortune 500 companies, not-for-profit organizations, and independent consultancies. One of Catalyst Ranch’s clients, Leslie Marquard, laments the need to use more conventional hotel meeting rooms when she’s not able to convene meetings in Chicago. “It’s really hard to have productive meetings in rooms that suck the life right out of you,” said Ms. Marquard.
For a wide swath of years, the corporate norm was rows of identical cubicles, with uniformity and anonymity seeming to trump all other sought-after characteristics. Factory ideals were adopted as the essential aesthetic for anything resembling work. Then came Silicon Valley with its garage-based start-ups, bring-your-dog-to-work ethos, and jeans-clad CEOs. Suddenly it was in vogue to look alive again, and the comforts of home began to spill over into work. Kitchens started popping up, sofas were brought in, and thought was given to creating spaces where people might actually want to be.
In an educational context, a similar emphasis is placed on "a carefully prepared environment" in Montessori schools. Though the Montessori aesthetic focused on simplicity and order is quite different from the happy chaos of Catalyst Ranch, the importance placed on a student's surroundings is on par. Maria Montessori was the first to have child-sized chairs built for school. Montessori classrooms feature low, open shelves where students can seek and find their own resources. Special materials are displayed in organized sections: mathematics, science, geography, art, language, music. Learning takes place through materials, not worksheets.
On a recent visit to Alcuin Montessori School in Oak Park, a suburb west of Chicago, I was struck by the calm yet purposeful activity which pervaded the classroom. Children are free to move about. Many students are sprawled on the floor, concentrating deeply. Lighting in the room was adequate but not overly bright. Soft music was playing in the background. Next to a large bookcase was a comfortable chair with a lamp, beckoning a child to sit and read. Trees were visible out of the beautiful leaded glass windows. A teacher was on her knees next to a small table helping a child work through challenges.
This attention to environment is no accident. It’s a very deliberate element of the Montessori method, where children learn through exploration of the materials in their midst, in a space designed to give them freedom to develop their full potential.
What are the spaces you find yourself in each day, and are they an invitation to growth and discovery?