MKThink Hosts AIA Tour 2023

When A'23, the American Institute of Architects' (AIA's) annual convention was held in San Francisco this June, MKThink was selected to lead a tour of our office and community space at Ocean Plant on San Francisco's Richmond Edge. CEO Nate Goore discussed our concept for catalyzing human interaction and building community strength with AIA members. Our discussion centered around several key questions:

• Can we catalyze community through place and program?

• What are the key ingredients to make the concept transportable to other locations?

• Can the concept scale?

• Can neighborhoods lead to the reinvention of the central business district?

As an organization committed to research and analysis-supported solutions, we conducted a series of survey and sensor-based analyses to better understand the space's performance. Key findings include:

• 2/3 of visitors are between 19 and 35

• 60% are from the neighborhood

• 28% visit more than once per week, and another 28% were first time visitors (the space has been open for six months)

• "The beach," "coffee," and "the vibe" were the top reasons identified for visiting, reinforcing the impact of combining local environment, experience, and offering.

• 2/3 of visitors who came alone cited, "I like being around others even if I don't know them," as the primary reason for their visit.

By putting our ideas into practice and analyzing the results, we are developing foundational principles for rebuilding community strength and creating a blueprint for others to adapt to their communities.