Moving beyond the traditional
Including natural elements in your space, otherwise known as biophilic design, has been trending upward for years now—with good reason. It’s said that this design type, incorporating themes found in nature, like trees, plants and waterfalls, is great for the well-being of your attendees.
As an example, in August 2024 Portland International Airport (PDX) implemented biophilic design in its main terminal as part of its $2 billion renovation. It isn’t for nothing that an airport would think to replicate a natural setting in a space that’s anything but natural. It makes people feel good about where they are.
The Why of Natural Design
“Clients want more of that real touch from outside elements,” says Brandon Avant, design sales manager for Atlanta-based Bold Catering & Design, who designed the hotel opening for Signia by Hilton Atlanta Georgia World Congress last year. “They’ve seen the same traditional items in their events for so long.”
Frank Carlisi, who was raised in New York and later made his way to Atlanta and is now director of design at Bold Catering & Design, referenced the coldness felt living in what’s sometimes called “The Iron Jungle.”
Read More: Spectacular Spaces: Event Design with Ed Libby
“What I find brands and designers here in Atlanta do, or what some designers that I’ve aspired to in New York do, is find interesting ways to bring floral design into their events to soften moments,” he says. “It’s about creating that visceral sense of comfort in an event. I believe that nature evokes that.”
Highlighting that sense of comfort, Carlisi brings up someone who inspired him, New York-based floral designer Lewis Miller, who during Covid placed floral installations throughout Midtown Manhattan. These floral designs came in several forms, such as sprouting out of trash cans or being draped over a bus stop.
“As I do a lot of corporate events, I know my clients are looking for the ‘wow’ moments,” Avant says. Guests seem to gravitate toward those areas, as they’re more appealing for photo ops and unforgettable moments.
Carlisi mentions Avant’s inclusion of water elements in his event design, which “blows my mind every time,” he says. “It could be a huge high-pressure corporate event, but because Brandon put this gorgeous water element in the design, it just gives guests or anyone who walks by, that sense of peace.”
Overpromising, Underdelivering
Ambition is a key element in event design, fueled by the desire to create exceptional events. But what happens when the budget can’t fulfill the dream? A major mistake Avant often sees is the epidemic of event designers overselling an idea and not delivering what was promised.
“People want to be creative, and I have to give it to them. I’ve been down that road.” Ambitious thinking is admirable, especially when it comes to creating grand, memorable events, but if the budget doesn’t match the vision, problems occur.
“The logistics of these types of installations need to be well thought out, Carlisi says. He described the elements behind dramatic event effects he’s seen in his career, like a tree focal point in the middle of a ballroom with stream lights coming in from four different directions attached to a pergola. “Some people will fall short in the execution. I’ve seen it all in all my days of little details being left out.”
The next thing Carlise says he has picked up in his years as a designer is one worth thinking about: Question why you’re doing what you’re doing. “Sometimes people will do it just to do it,” he says. “They want to follow down a buzzword without remembering why they’re doing it.”
When the idea outsizes what’s financially possible, Avant recommends reeling it back in. “A lot of times, people are just turning and burning events. They don’t have a desire to be detailed.” For Avant, creating an exceptional event starts with the designer and that attention to detail will spread outward. “There’s a way to create beautiful elements that will speak to you, and it’ll speak to the masses too.”
The Future of Event Design
No sector of the meetings industry—let alone the world—is safe from the advent of AI. Although Avant believes the future of event design will be influenced by AI, he also believes that we’ll always go back to the traditional way. “I’m the type of designer that still mixes the new with the old, because it never goes out of style, he says. “It’s just knowing how to master it. But I do feel like the future will include technology-driven events.”
“I believe strongly in embracing it,” Carlisi adds. “What I think is key is marrying it together, the older esthetic with the new. It can’t just stand on its own. Once you bring those two worlds together is where we’re going to find the beauty in using technology in our industry.”
