A catalyst of change
The world is changing, but amidst so much uncertainty, we believe things can change for the better. Please join NorthernLight as we look forward to defining the new ‘normal’, by exchanging new inspiration with clients, partners and friends. To help redefine what we believe in.
Why will creative agencies need to adapt their services in the future? What will museums, brand experiences and public spaces look like? The motivation comes from the persisting social changes that will stabilize, even after social distancing measures are lifted, and the global economy finds a new balance.
Maintaining social distancing need not mean becoming socially disconnected, nor losing meaningful group experiences such as museum visits. If anything, it has served to remind us that collaboration is one of humanities greatest strengths in the face of adversity.
In light of this, NorthernLight welcomes you to join the conversation. Here are a few of our thoughts about what the future will look like, and how we can rise to meet it.
A few initial thoughts
1. Recreating museums and public spaces
With the significant restrictions in place for visitor experience locations worldwide, NorthernLight is well positioned to help rethink and redesign museums, brand experiences and public spaces for social distancing. The first step is practical redesign; intelligent pre-visit and booking systems, smart entrances, linear routing, special hygiene measures and technology-driven hands-free interaction. The second step is to rethink museums to be more flexible, adaptable and agile. The third step is for design to be a catalyst for the vivid reimagining of cities, parks and other outdoor spaces as venues for mobile museums and thought provoking experiences. Why not start a drive-in science museum… or a spacious science playground in the park?
2. Virtual presence
Museums, brands and cities will have to rethink if physical meetings or social spaces are necessary for the stories they want to tell or the experiences they want to offer. Excessive travel will be in decline, but we want to continue to engage and enrich the lives of individuals. By using extended reality and digital technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, NorthernLight can help to strengthen the virtual and social media presence of a museum, a brand or a city. To share your stories with 7 billion world citizens. Why not make a digital adventure environment for virtual visitors from around the world to explore an important historic topic?
3. Synergy between digital and physical
Due to the reduced movement and social distance, the usage and demand for digital resources that facilitate virtual presence and remote interaction will increase. Digitization will be an important factor in determining an organization’s success in adapting to these changes. Virtual spaces, accessible through emerging wearable technologies will become more mainstream. As pioneers in the synergy between the physical and the digital, as specialists in combining spatial design with virtual experiences, this new virtual world is a paradigm of opportunity for us. Why not design the digital pre- and post-visit experience to be just as exciting as the actual visit?
4. Meet global challenges
Faced with isolation, many may decide that altruism trumps individualism. As we seek to address global issues such as climate change. Individuals, companies, and nations will want to address these future challenges in a human centred approach. At NorthernLight, we are committed to researching and designing the societal, environmental and technical shifts needed to meet these challenges, through the co-creation of circular, reusable and inclusive designs with our clients. Why not develop the world’s first fully circular brand experience?
5. Collective and creative action
Creativity and design are at the heart of change. Designers will be an integral part in realizing the new ambitions. As Shakespeare reminds us in The Tempest: “Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows”. Working together, strangers can become friends. At NorthernLight we hope to build stronger collaborative relationships by co-creating with clients, partners and friends. In practice, this means we are offering our clients a discount on co-redesigning their projects and services for the ‘new’ normal. Why not redesign existing exhibitions with ‘new normal’ content and a ‘social distance proof’ visitor experience?
Please let us know what you think of these initial thoughts. And make us part of the discussions you undoubtedly already have in your museum, in your company, in your city.
Thank you.
- NorthernLight will organise a webinar ‘The horizon from a social distance – 5 steps for new reality museums’. Please pre-register below, so we can invite you as soon as the date is confirmed.
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