In private higher education, the design and naming of physical spaces offer powerful yet often overlooked opportunities to express institutional values, reinforce brand identity, and shape campus culture. While large-scale infrastructure projects often dominate conversations around spatial transformation, this paper argues that smaller, more participatory interventions can also generate meaningful cultural impact.

This case study focuses on an initiative at a South African private higher education institution, where academic staff were invited to co-design the name, visual identity, and thematic direction of a new creative learning space. Intended primarily for VR and game design, the space was undergoing a transformation from a generic consult room into a technology-enabled, visibly branded environment that reflected the institution’s creative ethos.

To ensure alignment with the broader brand and culture of the school—an institution known for its emphasis on creativity, play, and cultural relevance—a workshop was held where interdisciplinary teams of lecturers were tasked with proposing names, visual themes, and ideas for how the space could function as both a tool and symbol of learning. What emerged was more than a naming exercise. Through playful collaboration, staff engaged in a process that surfaced shared values, institutional narratives, and aspirations for how learning spaces can better support both pedagogical innovation and cultural resonance. The final name, Polybox, reflected the polyvocal, experimental nature of the space and its alignment with digital aesthetics and creative play.

While the activity involved only staff, its outcomes had implications for student experience. By embedding cultural cues and identity markers into the physical environment, the space became more than a venue—it became a signal of belonging, exploration, and purpose. The visibility and naming of the room also prompted student curiosity, fostering greater awareness and engagement with the tools and technologies housed within it.

Drawing on theories of organisational culture, internal branding, and spatial semiotics, the paper reflects on the symbolic and pedagogical value of such micro-interventions. It argues that even small-scale acts of co-creation can contribute to a stronger sense of institutional identity and engagement, helping to bridge the gap between brand promise and lived experience within creative educational settings.

Keywords: Spatial design, organisational culture, internal branding, participatory design, institutional identity.