The space is media.

    Jooyun Kim's 
Spacebranding vol.16

"Space is the optimal medium to convey corporate dreams and create an emotional aura, and even performs psychological, relational, and social functions."

<The space is media.>
Space is a channel through which customers can check what they want.1) Space, as an optimal medium to convey the dream of a company and create an emotional aura, performs psychological, relational, and social functions as well. Historically, the domains that made the most use of space branding were religion and politics.

National Taichung Theater, Taichung, Taiwan, design by Toyo Ito ©Jooyun Kim

National Taichung Theater, Taichung, Taiwan, design by Toyo Ito ©Jooyun Kim

National Taichung Theater, Taichung, Taiwan, design by Toyo Ito ©Jooyun Kim

<Space, religious media.>
Religion and politics have delivered the powerful messages they need through space. The cathedral is essentially a space for worship, but the construction of the cathedral allows us to maintain our faith through spatial awe. It was made to become a faithful servant of God just by looking at the cathedral.

Notre-Dame du Haut, Ronchamp by Le Corbusier ©Jooyun Kim

Notre-Dame du Haut, Ronchamp by Le Corbusier ©Jooyun Kim

Notre-Dame du Haut, Ronchamp by Le Corbusier ©Jooyun Kim

<Space, political media.>
A political example is German architecture. Germany expressed its national identity with completely different architectural images at the Expo held in two political eras: the fascist era before World War II and the post-World War II democratic republic era.

The German pavilion at the Paris World's Fair in 1937 was designed by Hitler's architect Albert Speer with a neoclassical design, showing the authoritative status of power. Hitler used architecture as a popular media to promote the Nazi Party by combining neoclassical styles with Nazism. At that time, the 150-meter-high German Pavilion showed a warlike and challenging impression by using stone materials.

World fair in 1937 at Paris, German Pavilion, from https://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/parisexpo6.jpg

Later, at the 1958 World Fair held in Brussels in the era of the democratic republic, a completely different German pavilion presented a democratic image. Egon Eiermann, Germany's leading architect in the 20th century, used steel and glass to showcase a transparent architecture that evokes calm horizontal, softness, lightness, and democracy on the international stage.2) As such, the impression of space functions as a declarative media for people.

Germany Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World Fair from https://vsamerica.com/media/timelines/features/egon-eiermann.zumkuckuck.com/vs_55801_12_1.jpg

<Space, business media.>
The same goes for space for business. In terms of space branding, which conveys or expands the core value of a company or business by using the space as the most important customer contact point of the business, the space should be able to show the core of the business.

Nike House of Innovation New York, from https://metropolismag.com/projects/nike-house-innovation-flagship-retail-design/

Nike House of Innovation New York, from https://metropolismag.com/projects/nike-house-innovation-flagship-retail-design/

Nike House of Innovation New York, from https://www.acceptandproceed.com/project/nike-hoi-alphafly

Nike House of Innovation New York, from https://www.acceptandproceed.com/project/nike-hoi-alphafly

It should be a space where the existence of a company or business can be announced to the world as a unique experience space that attracts customers and creates memories. By creating a space for space branding in places that are related to the corporate heritage, such as the place where the company was established, the headquarters, or the place where an important event occurred in the history of the company, the function as a media can be strengthened.3) 





<5 Summaries>

"Space is the optimal medium to convey corporate dreams and create an emotional aura, and even performs psychological, relational, and social functions."

"The cathedral is essentially a space for worship, but the construction of the cathedral allows us to maintain our faith through spatial awe."

"Germany expressed its national identity with completely different architectural images at the Expos held in two political eras: the fascist era before World War II and the post-World War II democratic republic era."

"The space should be able to show the core of the business."

"It should be a space where the existence of a company or business can be announced to the world as a unique experience space that attracts customers and creates memories."



 Kim Jooyun <Spacebranding> pp61-62
1) Dan Hill, body of truth : leveraging what consumers can't or won't say, Wiley, 2003, pp187
2) de Botton, Alain, The Architecture of Happiness, Simon Vance(NRT), 2009, pp100-101
3) James H. Gilmore, B. Joseph Pine II, What Consumers Really Want, Harvard Business, 2007, pp272-274
 


Jooyun Kim

jykim@hongik.ac.kr

 


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