Creating an experience that is unique and memorable for attendees is the main objective of event producers. If you’re looking to make a statement, one way of accomplishing this is hosting your event in a non-traditional space. The location of your next and best event could be right under your nose going beyond your notice. The warehouse you pass on your daily commute has the potential to wow attendees in ways convention centers and conference halls can’t. Venue 717 in the West Loop is a perfect example of how a warehouse can excite and surprise your attendees.
A Diamond in the Rough
Though some can be discreet on the outside, warehouses offer ample space and opportunities to get creative. Many smaller venues in major cities are “found-in” spots that were converted into an open and flexible space for art showcases or pop up events. Found-in venues are novel because they are typically low key and boast a sort of exclusivity you don’t get at a convention center. Warehouse venues are the best of both worlds – host an exclusive event that only a select few know about while still having the space and theatrics to showcase in an elaborate space – call it hiding in plain sight.
How LSAV POWERHOUSE Does Warehouses
Wow attendees by channeling a “Narnia” style reveal and surprise them with a luxurious environment inside a warehouse. At LSAV POWERHOUSE’S warehouse venue 717, the space is just one of many warehouses and lots in the area. The outside of the building looks inconspicuous at first glance in the still developing and industrial West Loop. In contrast, once you enter the large double doors do you find a drastically different environment. The interior of the warehouse is finished with plush carpet, HVAC systems, a full kitchen, luxury restrooms and a host of colors – everything one would need to comfortably host a large spectacle of an event.
The Tabula Rasa of Venues
Now that you have this empty space, don’t get overwhelmed with what to do with it. You have a “blank canvas” or black box theatre to build and create the environment you desire. The open space of a warehouse allows versatile décor and layout to stimulate your attendees unlike a conference hall or convention center where you are confined to the dimensions of the walls and walkways already in place. Warehouses allow room for rigging and dramatic installations to make your space stand out. If dealing with a raw space sounds intimidating, don’t worry, many warehouses hold the essentials such as power and plumbing. Like any venue, take your time and find one that meets your needs.
LSAV POWERHOUSE Sees the Potential
At 717, long zig-zagging installations hang from the ceiling to the floor. It divides the foyer from the dining area of the space and serves as a fun and functional piece for attendees to admire. The hexagonal shaped breakout rooms were erected thanks to colorful printed tension fabric walls. These rooms were adorned with projections and video wall installations with flat screen monitors to create an almost 180-degree virtual environment. At every turn, from every perspective they provide a dynamic combination of color, depth and movement.
To avoid additional construction for restroom plumbing, LSAV POWERHOUSE got creative and utilized luxury movie style trailers inside the venue to comfortably serve attendees’ grooming needs. Because of the open layout of the venue, 717 could be transformed into multiple visually novel “rooms”, all with a unique look and feel for attendees to explore, while adding comfort and style to their experience.
While scouting for your next event venue, don’t let a building’s modest exterior dissuade you from finding the space that will bring your ideas to life. Warehouses pose great potential for event producers with big ideas.
Whether you want to go all out for a sensational event or host an intimate evening, LSAV POWERHOUSE can help you source and outfit your perfect venue. Over 20 years in business as one of the nation’s most successful independent audiovisual and event planning companies make us the perfect partner to guide you through venue selection, A/V equipment design and every other aspect of your planning.Check out our portfolio here or reach out to us for a 1:1 conversation so we can help you bring your goals to life.