Blog images - 2024 - Taking Meetings to New Heights Sky Lab Experience
Meetings

Taking Meetings to New Heights: Sky Lab Experience

Meeting planners are constantly on the lookout for innovative ways to help their clientele get the most out of in-person gatherings. And, with companies hungry for ways to elevate their thinking and take their businesses to new heights, organizers must apply the same kind of out-of-the-box creative thinking their clients are seeking to their own events.
Focus on creating memorable moments that resonate with attendees long after the event ends. Incorporate into the design of your event experiences that encourage attendees to step outside their comfort zone, a proven method to boost creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

28 Feb 2024 3 min to read

Event inspiration: Sky Lab by C2 Montreal

In 2017 C2 Montreal created "Sky Lab", an immersive brainstorming experience where participants were elevated 20 feet into the air during a session on "moonshot" thinking, the Sky Lab pushed the boundaries of conventional brainstorming by taking participants to literally new heights. 
Dangling in the air in groups of five, fifteen attendees sat in bucket seats suspended from a circular truss while enclosed within a cylindrical space enveloped by projections. Below, a circular mirrored floor grounded the participants, subtly reminding them that their extraordinary meeting took place on Earth, within the confines of a warehouse turned art gallery. 
Three major stages were part of the journey of the Sky Lab experience: first, the rise, which symbolized both the literal and figurative elevation of ideas. Second, a period of suspension in which the participants undertook a session of ideation, and third, the return to earth where new ideas could become rooted in practice. 
Guided by facilitators, each group of participants was led through a brainstorming session that focused on identifying the next breakthroughs that could transform human life. Unsurprisingly, by literally lifting participants out of their comfort zones, this novel experience allowed them to let go of mental constraints and engage in a bigger, braver style of thinking. Not only that, but the conversations began in the air and continued once back on solid ground, with participants describing both a giddy, newfound feeling of weightlessness as well as a sense of camaraderie with the other participants with whom they had shared the experience.
Blog images - 2024 - Taking Meetings to New Heights Sky Lab Experience
Blog images - 2024 - Taking Meetings to New Heights Sky Lab Experience
Related Links
Radisson Meetings - STOZW Stockholm RETOUCH
Meetings
How to elevate your events with AI
Radisson Meetings - Conference with a microphone
Meetings
Master Creative Obstacles in Event Design

Here are three key takeaways from C2 Montreal’s Sky Lab to help professionals apply the same kind of imaginative thinking to their meetings:

Craft your gathering space with purpose and content in mind

With the Sky Lab’s objective being to encourage moonshot thinking, this experience took participants out of their usual environment so that they could share big ideas and concepts freely without feeling weighed down by practical considerations during the ideation stage. By directly aligning the actual physical experience with the content of the session, interactions in the Sky Lab were more meaningful, resulting in deeper engagement. 
To get the most out of a gathering, pay special attention both to the physical space, as well as the pace and sequencing of the meeting. If, for example, you’re also looking to inspire the unbounded, free flow of big ideas, you might consider how to conjure a feeling of vastness at your next gathering. What elements will excite participants and build a sense of anticipation? Whether it’s a walk outdoors to an unknown destination ahead of a strategic planning session at the top of a local monument, or simply a glorious view of the mountains, settings that engage participants’ curiosity and sense of possibility are a must for this type of meeting.

Unexpectedly engage the senses for a novel experience

Consider sprinkling unexpected sensory details into a meeting to add a feeling of newness. Whether it’s through memorable food pairings or a musical interlude, thoughtful, unexpected sensory elements will inspire participants to break free from assumptions to unlock new, creative approaches to whatever challenges they’re facing.

For lasting connections, ignite collective wonder

What unique aspect of the meeting you're organizing could inspire collective awe?
Never underestimate the power of out-of-the-ordinary elements to lead to groundbreaking ideas and lasting professional connections.
Share post