+Pool
THE CREATORS: +Pool (pronounced plus-pool) is the brainchild of three NYC-based designers: Dong-Ping Wong of Family design studio, Archie Lee Coates and Jeffrey Franklin of PlayLab.
THE CONCEPT: After a very hot sum- mer in 2010, the trio dreamed up the idea of building a floating, cross- shaped pool in the Hudson River that would actually use filtered river water. Leading engineering firm Arup offered their services, and in June 2011 the founders launched the project on Kickstarter in hopes of raising $25,000 to test the filtration system.
THE RESULTS: The project reached its funding goal in six days, eventually going on to raise $41,647 in pledges from 1,203 backers. The money has already paid for the first round of filtra- tion testing, with the remainder going towards round two. If things continue to progress, +Pool is set to make it into the water by summer 2013.
DONG-PING WONG: “The pool has been so dependent on public inter- est that it made sense to start with a public campaign like Kickstarter… but it’s still a bit of a surprise to see that people are not only interested, but interested enough to put money towards a project still in the works.”
1,203 BACKERS $41,647 PLEDGED OF $25,000 GOAL
But projects don’t have to be as audacious as +Pool to do well on Kickstarter. Another community pool project that exceeded its funding goal this year was the modest Splash House (see case study). Other suc- cessful projects range from What Happens When, a temporary NYC res- taurant installation combining food, music, art and design, to Colonie, a neighbourhood restaurant in Brooklyn; and from Swoon’s Musical Architecture for New Orleans, a plan for a high- concept house that functions like a musical instrument, to the Videogame History Museum in Silicon Valley.
WINNING FORMULA
So what makes a project succeed? “Number one, they’ve clearly identi- fied what it is they’re trying to do,” says Kazmark. “Number two is get- ting the word out. Once a project is launched, it’s up to you to share it with your friends, family, fans… there’s a misconception that if you launch a
ISSUE 1 2012 © cybertrek 2011
Kickstarter project, you’ll get money from the internet. That’s not true – you have to do quite a bit of work.” Other factors in a project’s success
are typically a good video and appeal- ing rewards. Although backers aren’t investors, this isn’t a money-for-noth- ing formula. “Yes, they’re pledging money, but they’re getting something in return,” says Kazmark. “There’s always a value exchange.” Typically, rewards are linked to the creative work, and increase in desirability with the size of the pledge.
Once a deadline has passed, it’s
archived on the site, the money is col- lected and successful creators get on with bringing the project to life. The company is clear it’s not responsible for ensuring creators fulfil their prom- ise, however, so much support comes from the creators' family, friends and community that they have a strong incentive not to let anyone down – so to date this hasn’t been a problem. Kazmark says Kickstarter is so intrinsically reliant on word of mouth
that the company doesn’t do much marketing beyond the occasional event and some press interviews. It does, however, have strategic partnerships with over 70 creative organisations – ranging from YouTube to Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute – all of which have ‘curated pages’ on the site showcasing projects they support.
GLOBAL ROLLOUT
Since its modest start, the company has captured the imagination of the public, with $2m now being pledged on the site each week. Surely the next step is a global rollout? “Certainly that's a priority,” admits Kazmark, although he won’t be drawn on when, or in which regions, this might happen. But if Kickstarter crosses the Atlantic and has the same impact, the way Europe looks at funding creativity may never be the same again. l
Rhianon Howells is contributing editor of Spa Business magazine
Read Leisure Management online
leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 49
Escaping the city heat: An innovative filtration system will allow +Pool to use water from the Hudson River
SUCCESFUL!
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