Spaces become places in the eyes, hearts, and minds of the beholder.
Post-pandemic, we have rediscovered that a room is a canvas for connection, not just a set of walls. By shifting focus from physical attributes to human narratives, we transform “space” into meaningful “place.” The future of spatial design, physical or virtual, must prioritise people first.
Just a few years ago, in the aftermath of COVID, we were finally presented with the opportunity to return to face-to-face conferences, expos, and meetings around the world. Many were reminded that when you walk into a room full of people sharing that space, it becomes something more than just a place to meet, work, and give presentations.
Gathering in a physical space has a different dynamic and significance for us, not just as professionals but as humans. It gives us something that we crave: meaning. A space gains meaning because of what happens in it, and it becomes a place when it is filled with people and their memories.
The definitions of space vary. Leisure spaces might be a theme park, a museum, or the digital realm of a game. Workspaces might be an office, a conference room, or a virtual meeting. And then there is home and school – the list can be elaborated further, but all spaces share a universal rule: When people are in a space, their experiences become the defining elements that make it a place. As phrased by Yi-Fu Tuan in “Space and Place – The Perspective of Experience“, what begins as undifferentiated space becomes place as we get to know it better and endow it with value.
What begins as undifferentiated space becomes place as we get to know it better and endow it with value
When we think about designing spaces for people, we need to focus on what they will experience rather than the design elements and objects of the place itself. An audience-centric approach makes for more engaging and memorable sites because it allows us to build narratives into our spaces that are amplified by the inner narrative of those who experience them. We design what happens around people to evoke reactions inside them. People are the focal point of our creative strategy and concept for a spatial experience, prioritised above the space itself; people first, spatial attributes second. When you’re designing a space for someone else, you need to think about their inner narrative and what kind of story they will build around themselves in that space – whether it’s a home, office, or a third place of leisure or learning.
Places are not just digital or physical; their gravitational pull toward successful combination is people. Physical spaces are not dead; to make them more critical than ever, we must consider how to develop them as unique and memorable places. Furthermore, as physical space expands into the virtual spaces of metaverses and multiverses, the crucial point of convergence for successful integration is audience-centric hybrid thinking.
It all comes down to this: How will you design spaces of meaning and value for people that turn them into valued places, whether in physical, virtual, or a combination of both realities? With a robust and convincing answer to that question, you may have just cracked the code on how to make a place become a space.
