C all it c onventi on center déjà vu:

the feeling that you get when you look around a convention-center ballroom or lobby and can’t remember the name of the city you’re in. But, happily, the era of generic, big-box convention centers seems to be drawing to a close.

When Convene asked leading architects to share their thoughts about the future of the convention center, they showed us sketches and plans for structures that are in conversation with the natural and built environments they inhabit, both giving and taking cues from their surroundings. And, as one architect wrote, tomorrow’s convention cen- ter won’t come with an on/off switch, to be activated only when there’s a meeting in town. Instead, it will be a living, breathing part of the community, energized by the inclusion of restaurants, hotels, and other retail and civic establishments that never go dark.

And did we mention sustainability? Our panel of architects is convinced that you can’t really imagine the future without it. Have a look, and see what you think.

—Barbara Palmer

42

pcmaconvene October 2010

www.pcma.org