Inclusive Venue Design: Creating the Ultimate Visitor Experience

Guest engagement begins well in advance of their visit to a facility. A welcoming and informative digital presence that closely mirrors the on-site experience is critical to informing and preparing customers in advance so they arrive for their event with minimal stress. Ample parking or transit directions clearly presented through branded signage and wayfinding, as well as accessible entrances, routes, exits, and vertical transit options for every type of attendee are meaningful service points to reconsider from a guest’s point of view prior to and upon arrival.

Signage plays a crucial role as the first main touchpoint for arriving guests, and should include large print, braille, and other accessible formats of communication to ensure all visitors understand the information being conveyed. Audio and visual aids such as induction loops, assistive listening devices, and captioning are equally as essential to achieving universal design in these crowded and at times disorienting environments.

A diverse array of amenities have elevated the expectations for venue experience design as building owners continue to leverage creative thinking as it pertains to the fan experience. Historically, we think of comfortable seating, sightlines, A/V, restroom quantity and quality, concession options, and perhaps merchandise offerings as the core tenets of the venue experience. While these are still on the critical path to venue success, diversification and originality have entered the conversation and powerfully changed how we think about each category.

Larger, premium gathering areas with unassigned seating create community-centric pockets of energy and activity for visitors to connect in arenas and ballparks. Standing room only used to be at the back of the bowl; now it’s ideal to provide these options all over the building. Diversifying food and beverage items caters to a vast array of dietary needs and restrictions while also focusing on local sourcing and the importance of supporting small businesses. A “locally sourced” philosophy further connects a venue to the community it serves.

From a retail perspective: professional, collegiate, and touring event merchandise continues to move upscale, and the sales environments for branded merchandise need to keep up. One in five event attendees purchase merchandise during a visit, and in the last reported year (2021), global sales of licensed merchandise topped $300 billion.

Elevated Wi-Fi speeds with a top tier option offered in premium areas are challenging services to deliver with thousands of customers on hand. To effectively create an immersive guest environment while leveraging augmented reality (AR) via mobile apps or other cutting-edge technology, venues need to support the up and down speeds required to engage and enhance the fan experience. Display and audio technologies consistently restate the definition of “best in class” – meaning digital signage, wayfinding, and in-event video must meet or exceed guests’ expectations.

Lighting plays a crucial role in creating the right ambiance and atmosphere in all guest and employee spaces. The lighting system should be designed to provide optimal illumination and control brightness levels to enhance the fan, employee, and athlete/performer experience in all corners of the venue.

An inclusive design approach should be considered for venues of all sizes, from intimate event spaces to large-scale arenas. Consideration of every step in the visitor journey will resonate with all audiences, who will walk away with both the memories of their event and the positive impact of a thoughtfully executed guest experience.

For more guidance on how to get your venue to perform on its A game, contact us at hello@bergmeyer.com and keep the conversation going.