“This business is about relationships” is a common phrase you hear in this industry, and it’s true, especially when you’re talking about human-to-human interactions. Consider, though, the relationship of a building to its location and citizens.
That was the main theme in an insightful article by Michael J. Shapiro in the July issue of Meetings & Conventions. Shapiro spoke with several architects—some of whom will be speaking at the upcoming International Convention Center Conference (ICCC)—about trends and philosophies of convention center design.
For example, Michael Lockwood of IAVM Allied-member Populous sees an increased focus on guest experiences.
“People’s expectations are higher. They are no longer willing to downgrade their experience to go into a building to have a meeting,” Lockwood said. “If anything, your convention experience should be on par with or better than a hotel experience, or a sporting event—or going out to a great district in your hometown.”
Mark Reddington, a principal at IAVM Allied-member LMN Architects, feels that convention centers are increasingly being integrated into the “urban setting in which they exist.” This manifests itself with the addition of retail, restaurants, and public plazas. For example, the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, plans to have sidewalk cafes as part of its plaza by late 2015 (read more about the plans on the Houston Chronicle website).
Finally, IAVM member Robert Svedberg, a principal at tvsdesign, said that convention centers should tell stories through their designs. For instance, consider Nashville’s Music City Center.
“The Nashville facility’s wavy roof recalls both the rolling hills of the region and the lyrical flow of music, conceptually speaking, Svedberg explains,” Shapiro wrote.
Please visit Meetings & Conventions to read the whole article.
And if you’re interested in hearing more from architects featured in the article, then please attend ICCC in Vancouver, British Columbia, Oct. 2-4, 2014. Lockwood will participate in a session about five new convention center projects, and Reddington will be part of a panel focusing on the Vancouver 2020 plan. Early-bird registration ends August 22.
