Have you ever gone out looking at a home, and fell in love with a particular feature? Like a view? Now with that view set in our minds, we judge all other options against it. Did we consider that it was important due to the particular time of day that we walked in to the house? And that there was nothing else in the house but windows? Therefore all you really had to look at was empty space or a view? I too have gone down this path, and made choices based upon some particular feature. However more often than not after I have moved into the space, and made it a home, that particular feature no longer bears the same level of importance. A great example is a property I had not too long ago, it had the most spectacular water views and when I first saw the space the water views stuck in my mind. Year’s later I realized that the water view at nighttime was just a black void, and the premium that I had paid for the view would have allowed for me to have a much larger space. In hindsight, I would have rather had more interior space then a water view that could only be appreciated during daytime.
In the happening world, I find particularly that when people are looking at a venue, they focus on views and flooring. I get it, however I also understand that what makes a happening grand, is not a view or flooring. Successful happenings are creating an environment that is engaging, unique and ever evolving. If you were to ever take a look at the greatest nightclubs in the world, some consistent traits that you will find, is they often have no exterior view, and flooring outside of the dance floor is almost always voided. Now I’m not saying a great happening needs to parallel a great nightclub, but what I am saying is great happenings similar to nightclubs are all about the vibe of people within. People being festive, eating, drinking and dancing and being entertained. This energy is very captivating, and the environment that it is done in forms as a backdrop to the festivities, the environment is not a catalyst it is a contributor. The catalyst is the cause for the happening, and the fuel is the cumulative energy created by the people attending.
What I like to imagine in a space is always in the potential. In order to do this, it’s important to look at the space in as close to the setting has the happening. Therefore if you are planning on a evening happening, make sure that you are looking at space in the evening, for outside spaces take seasons into consideration. Does it have a good evolutionary flow from space to space? Offering an exciting change of atmosphere as the happening progress?
Is the size of the space conducive to that happening? It is very important that a space is not too big or too small. I prefer it to be a little tight, this pushes people outside of their comfort zone, but forces us to connect and harness the energy while making it feel like a full house.
Consider food and beverage, catering services, as well as light sound, staging, and rental. Is your space able to accommodate the vision in these regards to all of these?
Last but not least is price, how does this fit overall in regards to my budget? Once all these criteria are met, then I will consider the space. With my eye on the atheistic and decor, to match with my visual expectation, filling the room with people, entertainment and furniture. I soon realized that that external view will only play a small role in setting the scene, and that floor that seems so hard to overcome would be filled by people and furniture and in most cases not even remembered. I challenge you to think of the greatest happenings of your life and let me know if a view out of a window or flooring comes to mind?
Design the energy and the canvas will fill itself.
