‘‘

The future conference center must have the flexibility to respond to a paradigm of constant change.

Powerfully Small

BY LEWIS T. MAY PAGE SOUTHERLAND PAGE

Tomorrow’s conference center will appear muchlike today’s. However, it will perform differently. With the reality of today’s economy, including smaller budgets related to business travel and expenses, the aesthetic

or image of the conference center of the future must be weighed with its practicality, convenience, access, operations, and sustainability. Smarter and more efficient, with state-of-the-art technologies and systems that are sustainable and envi- ronmentally friendly, the future conference center must have the flexibility to respond to a paradigm of constant change. From Skype to podcasts to full studio production, conference centers must continue to evolve, change, and respond

to an ever-changing array of technologies and media if they are to meet the demands of virtual or in-place presenters and a rapidly changing, techno-savvy clientele.

LEWIS T.MAY is senior vice president of Austin, Texas–based PageSoutherlandPage, whose award-winning portfolio includes the Austin Convention Center and various LEED Gold–certified park buildings at Discovery Green in Houston.

’’

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL:A plan for a proposed 25,000-square-foot convention center in SouthTexas takes advantage of the area’s temperate climate by using outdoor space for gathering places and breakout areas. Such uses speak to another emerging trend for convention and conference centers: environmental sustainability.

46 pcmaconvene October 2010 www.pcma.org

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY PAGESOUTHERLANDPAGE