They say necessity is the mother of invention, and so it should come as no surprise that one of the more exciting developments we have been a part of, is one that has grown out of our necessity avoid congregating indoors due to the pandemic. The idea of large scale community environments that exist in a room with no walls, is changing the way we think about gatherings and events that can accommodate social distancing and adequate airflow.
The banquet hall is moving outside, far beyond the limits of the sort of utilitarian structures prevalent in your average community park most often associated with rows of picnic tables. Flexible structures with movable walls and roofs offer us a vision for what we will come to see as a necessity for all sorts of applications. More than just a covered space, these new spaces can be show stoppers and attractions in and of themselves. A work of structural art a group of people can make memories within.
Using a combination of materials from natural wood, stone and slate, to lighter than steel composites and alloys, we can create buildings that reflect the human scale needed to larger gatherings without losing the intimacy of a garden party.
One can imagine everything from a heavy timber frame resembling an open barn to a more modern, contemporary airport terminal-like structure with a retractable ceiling and anything in between. The technology to deal with practical concerns of climate control is ever expanding to include an array of options.
We have for years been working on ways to bring the natural world indoors, through the use of light, natural materials and indoor landscaping, so maybe it’s only fair that in the pendulum swing of innovation, we once again move outdoors and create space to have experiences that are both open to creative exploration and protected from unforeseen weather.
Step outside and stay awhile.
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