Designing (Beautiful) Distances

This is not an event. But if it was, I would be very happy to see us being playful with designing for physical distance. We have seen a lot of “what if” scenarios for moving forward, and most of them range from unrealistic to cost-prohibitive to fundamentally uninspiring from a human perspective. This matters because as event designers we are fundamentally delivering human-centric experiences, and we respond viscerally to beauty and light, and yes, each other. We will obviously continue to host digital events, but we are already seeing a re-entry of events up to 10 and in some places up to 50 and even trade shows in Asia have opened again – so how do we do what we do best – create meaningful connections in well designed spaces within new parameters?

Is this our new normal? As I read this article about the upcoming Voice of Healthcare Summit from Prevue I felt myself being dragged down by the sheer “meh” of being an attendee – from faces behind masks, on-site testing and temperature checks, distances that will inhibit spirited dialogue and no food or beverage, all in the name of safety. Another example is Connect which has announced their Safe Space plan (for an August meeting also) which includes pre-mailers including badges and masks, eliminating registration contact points, and a number of other well-thought out ideas which fundamentally change the way the Connect-ions will take place. They have also made a brave choice in allocating budget and have eliminated a highlight of this event for many – the fantastic keynote speakers they are known for as there will be no large general sessions, and that money will be spent on the safe-space needs. We all have to adapt and without clear and consistent parameters it will be about continuing to evolve and with an early start to returning to meeting live, this will be an interesting one to watch. I fully agree safety is paramount, and even if on-site clinics become part of our lexicon, we can still design on-site experiences that make sense, that inspire and that ultimately allow people to connect, appreciate and be appreciated and recognized, to dialogue and innovate and to still want to instagram their experience!

So how do we do this? One step at a time. We can send out registration packages ahead of time, or if you are going to have people distance in lines, can you print your 6′ markers as branded / signature topics for discussion, and is this where the “who has the best mask” competition begins? Do desks or even trade show meeting tables have a gorgeous organic feel and a plexi screen? How about avoiding handles and having the door to the room opened by a butler who gives a big recognition bow to each participant to set the tone. A rethinking of how we do or don’t deliver food and beverage will have to balance food and health security with sustainability – we have an immense opportunity and I hope we can find a way beyond plastic wrapping everything we serve.

Now that pesky seating challenge. I would LOVE to see the dopamine activated when guests walk into a room like the above for ‘theatre’ seating. If you are doing classroom seating and 1 per 6′ table – what is on that table – a name card, a postcard they can send home, a list of other participants they can contact – in the app or a slack or whatsapp group or another medium throughout the event. What about individual seats with writing arms like the below that can be spaced apart? Are they seated at rounds – 4 per round has been suggested and I would be thrilled to see this because 4 people can have a meaningful discussion (and a round of 8 truly cannot as proven time and again at gala dinners around the world). What about those who like to stand at the back? Colorful spots on the floor can be branded, or spaced pedestal tables for 1 can provide a pop of colour – linen or LED-lit. How will you use one natural scent to freshen the feeling and help cement memories – placing herb pots or bowls of citrus could be the ticket.

I have said it before – we don’t know what it is going to look like. But we do know that as creatives we can be part of the process and in partnership with our venues and partners from decor to exhibition, display and audiovisual, catering and floral find solutions to humanize and beautify events – as we have been doing for decades!

For those looking for guidelines these are the May 2020 offering from the Event Safety Alliance and here from GoLiveSafely.