The Centre of Excellence
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
-Benjamin Franklin
What the Centre of Excellence Does
The Centre of Excellence exists to capture insight from around the world and translate it into practical frameworks that work in real places.
We study how everyday environments—cultural spaces, learning settings, public places and workplaces—successfully bring people together and influence behaviour over time.
The focus is not replication.
It is understanding why something works, then applying its principles elsewhere to deliver measurable outcomes.
The Centre of Excellence’s Core
At the heart of the Centre of Excellence is a curated collection of global examples drawn from hospitality, culture, education, civic life and the everyday moments that shape participation.
This is not a catalogue of solutions.
It exists to provoke better questions, spark interpretation and support better decision-making within local contexts.
Why This Matters to Clients
Through the Centre of Excellence, The Ripple Effect helps organisations move beyond one-off activations towards strategies that change behaviour over time.
We help clients design experiences that encourage repeat engagement, embed culture and learning into everyday environments, and support both social outcomes and long-term performance.
Because when ideas are shared with care and applied with context, their influence rarely stops where they begin.
That is how The Ripple Effect works.
What this Looks Like in Practice
In parts of Scandinavia and the Netherlands, libraries have been reimagined as social and cultural anchors rather than quiet repositories. Extended opening hours, talks, exhibitions and shared workspaces attract broader audiences and encourage longer stays—driving footfall, supporting local services and strengthening links between culture, learning and local economies.
In Japan, simple public campaigns encouraging people to eat together show how small, repeatable behaviours can reduce isolation, strengthen connection and increase everyday use of local places.
These ideas are not complex.
But sustained over time, they create ripples far beyond their starting point.