Articles
Date: June 2005
Publication: Auditoria magazine
Author: David Greusel, HOK Venue
Convention centers exist primarily to bring people together. Technology, tourism and knowledge transfer - while important - are ultimately secondary concerns.
Ultimately the people proposition is about just that - people. No matter how exceptional your facility's design, it is nothing without someone there to relish its excellence. A convention center designer's ultimate goal should be to bring people together. In a hurried society, it's important to create places for conversation and reflection as well as for trade and education. And as for a convention's ultimately commercial purpose, there is something to be said for a firm handshake. It beats an instant message any day.