Creating People-First Spaces By Layering Experiences Over Transactions

Coming out of the pandemic, consumers have been changing the way they spend. After missing out on travel, dining and entertainment during lockdown periods, Americans have placed a renewed focus on experiences to make up for lost time. 

For businesses, this means if they want to attract customers and drive revenue, they need to think beyond just the products and services they offer and put the consumer experience above all else. 

Bob Laughrea, principal and founder of commercial property development firm Generis Collective, said his firm has always understood the importance of putting the user experience first in everything it designs and builds — from theme parks to retail and hospitality destinations to healthcare facilities.

“Experiential design is not an option anymore. It’s a requirement,” Laughrea said. “Consumers are much more discerning about how and where they spend their time and money. We activate spaces through placemaking and a sense of community so visitors, employees, guests and patients will want to return again and again. Creating community creates connection. We create spaces and use architecture to connect people with each other. A memory of a place is more resonant when it’s a shared experience.”

Generis focuses on creating “unique spatial experiences” for brands. Bisnow sat down with Laughrea, David Van Wyk, principal of project development, and Meghan Sarkozi, director of project development, to find out more about how Generis creates these spaces and the future of experiential design.

Bisnow: What does the term “experiential design” mean to you? 

Laughrea: It’s all about prioritizing the human experience. Our projects begin with a core idea that will set a particular space apart. From there, we decide how the space can be activated to stimulate action or emotion from the people using it, and this all happens long before we start discussing architecture. 

Sarkozi: We want to create a thoughtful way to engage the public through design while also making the space feel personalized for the individual experiencing it.

Bisnow: How does Generis take the end user experience into account when designing spaces? How does this differ from asset to asset, say a healthcare facility versus a theme park? 

Laughrea: There are a lot of similarities across assets because people are looking for unique, authentic experiences everywhere they go. This is what we strive to create. Every space we develop is centered on that human connection and how the space will set the mood and feel for that development. 

Sarkozi: Every design starts with understanding the primary goal of creating that human connection between the space and the user, whether a small retail space or a large theme park. From there, we pull from our extensive team of vendors, consultants and designers to bring that vision to reality, based on the expertise and complexity the project requires.

Bisnow: What sets the Generis approach apart from other companies? What is your design philosophy? 

Van Wyk: Creativity is at the core of our company. Many of our employees came from Disney or Apple, both creative and iconic companies. That experience has helped us hone our design philosophy, which is to be original and not shy away from complex projects.

Laughrea: What sets us apart is that we don’t work in a vacuum. We curate a team of experts to oversee every part of the project. The best projects are the ones where everyone works together — from designers to architects to engineers — all the way from ideation to implementation.  

Bisnow: What are the keys to creating a successful, experience-forward space? 

Laughrea: The main key is research. First, we begin with placemaking and determining how we will create a public space that promotes health and happiness. Next, we focus on designing an immersive, compressed experience that encourages a feeling of community and excitement. It’s about creating kinetic energy — people want to see things moving, especially in spaces where they’re looking for experiences over transactions. Finally, we consider repeatability — how can we make this a place that people will want to return to and continue exploring? 

One of our clients wanted a new creative vision for their healthcare campus that prioritized both the health and wellness of patients and their overall experience. We used several user group studies to help us create an elevated landscape that focused on outdoor living and green spaces to create a warmer, more inviting medical environment. 

Van Wyk: The research is how we get to know the client’s audience and develop the brand story that is going to create the most impactful emotional connection. Ultimately, the space is a collection of immersive experiences that the guest will move through and interact with in a curated environment. 

Bisnow: Where do you see this trend heading in the future? 

Laughrea: I think it will now be a requirement for most developments. It’s not just about having retail, parking and other transactional elements. There need to be layers on top of that to intertwine all the consumer needs and services under the umbrella of a unique, efficient and thoughtful development.

This article was produced in collaboration between Generis Collective and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.