Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 3rd Quarter 2021 | Page 44

To be effective , ArchiTechnology requires a different mindset on the part of the practitioner . Here are a few thoughts to consider :
• Human beings are analog , so attendees ’ preferences for perceiving and communicating should be central . For example , our sense of sight includes not only seeing but also legibility , and hearing includes not only listening but also intelligibility . The quality and positioning of image displays , ambient lighting , sightlines , and audio equipment are all critical factors .
• Hybrid meetings and events require more advanced AV equipment . In an ideal world , the space you ’ re planning to use for hybrid meetings is already equipped . But in many cases , additional cameras and microphones may be needed to connect remote attendees . These types of equipment are highly sensitive to noise and lighting problems . As a result , features that are simply “ nice to have ” for in-person audiences become critically important for remote Attendees .
• If the intent is to design or renovate spaces to be “ high-tech ” and ready to accommodate hybrid meetings , the envelope or room design must be carefully planned and integrated . No one can “ fix ” a bad room by simply throwing technology at it . The architecture , interior design , acoustics , lighting , and infrastructure must first be analyzed and issues addressed before determining the event technology requirements .
• It ’ s important to recognize that although there are some overlaps between the disciplines of AV and IT , they actually require completely different insights and skillsets . This is why it is critical to have an AV design specialist involved in any design project for spaces intended to accommodate AV technologies . IT designers simply do not have the training or need to accommodate the nuances of analog perception and communication .
Choosing Between the Theater and the Roadhouse
Before we get into some of the specific design considerations involved in ArchiTechnology , let ’ s try a thought exercise to illustrate two very different kinds of event experiences .
First , try to remember the most satisfying meeting , event , or performance you ’ ve ever experienced . Whether it was a concert , play , sermon , performance , or presentation , you may have had the experience that everything but the presenter or performance itself seemed to “ disappear ” from your awareness . The magic of such an experience is that you didn ’ t need to make compromises in terms of your physical , aural , or visual perception . For our purposes , we ’ ll call this the “ Theater Experience .”
Now , imagine a very different experience — one where you ’ re sitting in an uncomfortable folding chair in a warehouse with a stage at one end where a presenter is speaking . Scattered around the room are tangles of loose cables running across the floor , portable speakers on stands , and random lighting equipment . The audio ( when you can actually hear it over the sound of the air conditioning and the technicians chattering behind you ) is loud , distorted , and echoing off the walls . Projectors are set up on carts facing a portable projection screen . In short , it ’ s a mess , and is what we refer to as the “ Roadhouse Experience .”
There ’ s no question which of these settings you would prefer to attend or offer to your guests . That ’ s why using event technologies specifically chosen for and built into each space will always provide a far more elevated experience for the attendees and event sponsor in all dimensions . This is especially true when planning for a hybrid event — because the last thing you want to do is provide a theater experience for your in-person attendees while delivering a roadhouse experience for remote attendees .
MYTH OF FLEXIBILITY
In the discussions around building AV technology into rooms versus using all portable equipment , we often hear that when the AV is built into a space , it limits the flexibility for the meeting planner to arrange the room creatively . This is simply misdirection ; these arguments are typically made by the AV rental companies . When the AV is built-in , there is nothing preventing portable equipment from being brought in and set up any way the meeting planner wants . However , when AV is NOT built-in , then ALL AV must be brought in , set up , adjusted , operated , and then disassembled and stored for EVERY event . That drives up the cost of providing AV both in time and money . Meeting rooms are typically designed to have an obvious “ front ” or “ object wall ” end of the room , and the vast majority of the time , the room is set up the same way . So , building in the AV equipment to serve that typical arrangement saves time and money , while providing a much better technical and aesthetic experience for the attendees .
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