ABSTRACT Using data collected from focus groups with traditional college students, this paper examines how students read images of highly aestheticized workspaces. The findings demonstrate that although college students are attracted to the aesthetic of workspaces, they are also skilled at reading the affordances present in workspaces. Through experiences like internships, college life, and observations of their parents, students have learned what kinds of affordances support their preferred workstyle and future career. When interpreting images of aestheticized workspaces, they look past the decontextualized aesthetic to understand whether these workspaces are practical for their anticipated work. This research contributes to the literature on how affordances communicate, considers how organizational spaces communicate beyond organizations themselves, and practically suggests how organizations might favor function over design in workplaces to recruit and retain Gen Z workers.