Future of convention centers is likely bright, functional

Friday, October 7, 2005

Holographic booths might fill convention centers of the future. Movable floors could become as common as partition walls. And sports arena-style luxury suites may perch over exhibit halls.

While these developments might never materialize, there's no doubt that change is in store for the industry, according to speakers Thursday at "Discovering the Next Generation of Convention and Exhibition Centers."

The Dallas-based International Association for Exhibition Management and the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland organized the research symposium held at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel.

Architects are now designing the fourth generation of centers, said Chris Eseman, a partner with LMN Architects of Seattle. LMN and Osborn Engineers developed the proposal for renovating and expanding Cleveland's convention center under and around downtown's malls.

In the evolution of convention centers, first came the so-called box with docks. The original centers were low-key affairs, typically unattractive buildings with truck docks, Eseman said.

Next came pretty boxes and then big hotels - with an emphasis on centers featuring the type of carpet, furnishings and amenities found in nicer hotels.

Now, the goal is to balance aesthetics with functionality, Eseman said.

Planners also strive to integrate the building into its environment and spotlight local features: from the views outside, to public art and the variety of food sold inside.

Building trends include:

Mixing stores and other private development - not only hotels, but also office buildings, museums and entertainment districts.
Including more terraces, parks and outdoor meeting areas.

Leaving room to install more cables, lines and plugs to accommodate changing technology.

Adding a higher ratio of meeting room space to exhibit hall square footage.

Planning more room for storage space.

The International Association for Exhibition Management plans to produce a report based on the meeting in two to three months.
No matter how futuristic convention centers may become, one common denominator is likely to save them from extinction despite the Internet, conference calls and other modern technology, said symposium host and moderator Robert Dallmeyer, president of RD International.

"Nothing, nothing beats face- to-face marketing," he said.