I’ve been thinking about SPACE all my life. It’s been driving me nuts. SPACE surrounds things. SPACE surrounds people. SPACE is home. SPACE is memory. SPACE is meaning. SPACE for me is everything.

Space is the next big thing

SPACE was there before digital. At this point in time we are experiencing a digital period. People explore new, digital spaces, they experiment with it, they indulge in it. Today, if you meet someone you are going digital – if you go to a restaurant you go digital – if you buy a product you go digital – if you want money from the bank – you better say digital. I believe this is just the beginning (overture). The “next big thing” is SPACE. Because it’s coming back. Because everything is happening in SPACE – real people – real experiences – the real first moment you never forget – all this is becoming a part of your DNA. In these enlightened times, SPACE is getting more important than ever before. For example I can’t remember what I was searching for on the Internet two months ago. But I do remember that evening when I met with friends at home. I still remember the taste of the wine and the smell of the food – because I experienced it in real life.

Changing touchpoints of space

Digital technology will change the touchpoints of SPACE radically. The way we buy things, educate the next generation or entertain people. There won’t be showrooms anymore where people have a look at different car models and different colours. They already know everything they need to know to buy a new car from the internet. There won’t be supermarkets anymore, because Amazon & Co. will deliver our food to our homes. Students will no longer have to move to a different city because of university – they can take their courses online and in virtual reality. Museums become less important because there will be new spaces for art. Shows and exhibitions will be put on a new level and are no longer limited to a particular location. Everyone has to leave its old space to find new answers. That’s why this is the greatest field to be in right now, with the opportunity to do something new that we never experienced before. We will transfer the digital into the real world. We will re-invent the real world.

Michael Keller will be judging at the D&AD Awards 2018 in the category Spatial & Experiential Design. You can read the original article here.