Lounge Lunges An exercise session in the Vancouver Convention Centre’s foyer.
reflect that (and sometimes they do), delegates are searching for those casual seating areas and infor- mal gathering spots to continue the conversation.” The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment
Center has made those kinds of casual seating areas a permanent fixture of its Promenade — a long, light-filled area that connects its meeting rooms. In doing so, the center took its cue from TED, which it has hosted for the past several years; TED conference organizers bring in living- room–style furniture to create a variety of spaces that support conversation between attendees. (See Book Excerpt, p. 69.) “We loved the concept of mini-meeting spots,”
Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, told Convene last year as part of an article about host- ing TED. The Promenade has been outfitted with sofas, tables, chairs, and a line of palm trees, divid- ing the space into a series of intimate conversation areas that also serve as recharging stations for smartphones and other devices that attendees may be using. A hallway likewise took center stage at Uncon-
ventional Evening, an event hosted by and at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre (SCEC) in 2010. To showcase the newly renovated foyer
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of its Parkside Ballroom, SCEC transformed the space into a spectacular long dining room, its cantilevered glass wall providing a night view over Darling Harbour and the sparkling city skyline. Meanwhile, the adjacent ballroom — traditionally the setting for events — was used to house the kitchen for the evening. The ballroom doors were treated with mirroring to create a more intimate space in the foyer and counter any sense that guests were positioned “outside” the ballroom. Ton van Amerongen, SCEC’s chief executive,
said Unconventional Evening was designed to highlight the center’s unique setting and style and to embrace its spirit of innovation. “We wanted to remind people of our passion for excellence,” van Amerongen said, “and surprise them with an evening that broke conventions, particularly for a convention center.”
OLYMPIC PROPORTIONS While most convention centers continue to find new ways for groups to utilize their existing space, some buildings have been called upon to repur- pose their facilities for entirely different audi- ences. ExCeL London provides an excellent case study of the latter. On June 18, ExCeL London’s management