A Research Note by Birgitte, Gala, Liza & Mantau Keystrokes
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A research note by Birgitte, Gala, Liza & Mantau Keystrokes: 19101 Design Processes and Entrepreneurship Spatial designs and Society Spring semester 2015 1 Abstract This research note seeks to analyse the potential and the obstacles of the lobby and the outdoors, i.e. public area, of the Danish Rock Museum, which are free of charge. We investigate this issue by using the methods of SWOT analysis, Business Model Canvas and the concept of “third space” defined by Chris Lloyd and Edward Soja, which will be introduced further on (Rantisi & Leslie 2010). Through these tools we are able to examine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as visualizing the parts that conform the above-mentioned area. We consider that the free space may have two functions: ● A social centre for Musicon (the surrounding residential area) ● A freemium The development of Musicon has to become a beacon, for the now excluded and problematic area of the southern Roskilde. In that sense, the public space might help in creating a social network and a common place that calls for togetherness. The successful output would be, that the locals would use it as a “third place”, meaning a different place than workplace or home, for purposes of leisure and socializing. The second function of making certain areas of the Rock Museum free of charge is to create a freemium in order to attract different kind of potential visitors. The free areas would work as a teaser; i. e. people could get the basics of the Rock Museum for free, yet they would have to buy a ticket for the full experience. Thereby, our focus of research will be based on what has to be done and how has to be done in order to fulfil the two main functions of the museum’s free space. 2 Introduction The Danish Rock Museum, the brand new unit of Roskilde Museum, is meant to be an innovative museum that strive to show the importance of rock and pop music in the shaping of the identity of various youth generations since the 50s. Music will be the key to understand both International and Danish rock history and as a result, the history of youth that challenged our world. In 2011 the Dutch studio MVRDV won, together with Danish COBE architects, the architectural competition to design the Danish Rock Museum, the Roskilde Festival Højskole and the Roskilde Festival's new headquarters. Located in the Musicon district of Roskilde municipality, these pioneer cultural spaces are supposed to positively enhance this area. Moreover, the three buildings are meant to symbolize band members, designed to create new experiences through their own identity, appearance and architectural energy. Under construction since spring 2014, according to the architect’s schedule (December 2012) the Danish Rock Museum is expected to be open in summer 2015 with a budget of 120M DKK. Danish Rock Museum has been designed as a living space that will hold, among many, exhibitions, a sound laboratory, interactive installations, events, light & sound rooms, production facilities, a stage, a library, archive & research activities and a record studio. The aim is to challenge the concept of what constitutes a museum by combining the ideas of physical experience, variety, innovation, and museum as a free space to develop knowledge. Hence, the museum will be highly interactive in its form of communication - a rock laboratory for all generations and will experiment the limits of the classical museum concept in both form and content. As said before, the museum wishes to explain through music how young people since the 50s have challenged and shaped our current society. Music, and specifically rock, are, according to this view, an essential historical factor in the formation of political 3 attitudes, new technologies, linguistics trends, media and last but not least, new venues. Still considered as one of the strongest cultural movements of the 20th century, rock is the point of departure of this new cultural contemporary museum that focuses on the rhythmic music as a global language of youth culture. Rock has been, indeed, a mirror of youth culture and has had a major impact on society. Thus, the interplay between music and youth culture is past, present and future. In few words, young music is considered to reflect larger societal trends. The museum will present two main areas, covering an interactive presentation of Danish rock roots and history and a sound laboratory, where visitors experience music by themselves. The permanent exhibitions have been designed in order to be exposed following a theme-based path, in order to avoid the monotony of a chronological presentation, unattractive for the majority of the visitors. This theme-based system has, as main focus, the concepts of dance, fan culture, meeting spots, image and subculture, events and a sound lab. Thus, all of them go across time and encourage the attention of potential visitors. Thereby, the spatial design of each theme becomes vital in order to enter to new worlds from space to space. As a result of the explained pattern, from the very beginning there is a clear and constant interrelation between the content, the form and the spatial design of the museum. Once its final completion, Rock Museum will become Denmark's first museum for young, about young people - a museum that through the music will convey the youth culture's impact on society. The museum, which has an extension of approximately 2,900 m2, will include the already mentioned exhibition areas and a large public, free of charge area – focus of our analysis. 4 SWOT We have chosen to use the SWOT analysis from Osterwalder & Pigneur (2010: 219) as it stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analytical tool is used in order to identify the Rock Museum’s strengths and weaknesses, and to examine the opportunities and threats, which may affect the business. Furthermore, it analyses the organization and environment. This model helped us to identify changes that could be made to improve the business. On the basis of this model and the Business model canvas from above, we have come up with possible new actions the Rock Museum could adopt, towards hopefully creating a more sustainable type of business. What might be worth mentioning or in need of an explanation, are the points of the area/place, the building and concept itself. Considering the area, it is a strength in a sense of it already being known as a place of activity and creativity. The area Musicon 5 is known for its skateparks both indoor and outdoor, creative art facilities, outdoor training facilities and “hangout spots”. Also the area is focused on the youth and has plenty of student housings. That leads us to why we put “students” as an opportunity, in terms of the students as a possible revenue stream and as a “life-creating” aspect. Since there already are a lot of students in the area and that there will be more with the folk high school coming, it could be beneficial to focus on attracting this particular target group. Returning to the considerations about the area, the public transportations is definitely a weakness, especially when the concept appeals mostly to a niche audience. Also, the area as being undeveloped is a possible threat - meaning that no one really knows, how this area will evolve. At the same term, it might as well be an opportunity, since it could evolve advantageously for the concept of the Rock museum. It is fairly important that the place and area attracts people and possibly paying visitors, since we believe that it is doubtful that the museum will do so by itself. Even if it attracts paying visitors, most likely they will be curious first time visitors, attracted by the unique concept and the building - not returning, loyal guests, which should be generating the future sustainable revenue stream. This has lead us to an investigation on the opportunities and possibilities of the undetermined “free area”. This area has the possibilities of making the concept more sustainable and improve the entire business. Thus it is significant to find the proper balance of this area, to make it attractive enough to get people to the place, but still being able to work as a “freemium”, so the area itself should not fulfil to many needs. Why, What, How Why should there be a free area? As said in the abstract, the free space may have two functions. One is related to the creation of a social centre for the surrounding area that pretends to include all kind of possible visitors. The other contains the concept of the freemium. Both of them may 6 brand Roskilde as a cultural centre, making this specific area more attractive and vibrant as a community. What has to be done? New channels need to be built towards visitors and attractive activities have to be planned. Some examples would be building an infrastructure, an expanded skate park or a music playground. Others might be bars, an outdoor stage, a pull up bar or outside fitness, cheaper take away food stands, a music flea market, summer chairs for events, a summer pool or a ice skating pool for winter, and of course, events related to the opening of new exhibitions (including free drinks, conferences, among others). How can we implement the solutions/scenarios? Getting more funds from the municipality would be a must. Improve or have a better communication with the locals would be vital too, as well as promote new key partners or attract expat communities, such as embassies supporting their local music. Rock Museum as a “third space” In this section we analyse and discuss the Rock Museum case through the concept of ‘third space’ and how that conflicts the future vision of the museum.