Sweden’s largest arena for hybrid meetings launched in Gothenburg

The Hybrid Event Arena is Sweden’s largest studio solution for hybrid meetings and has been launched at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers in Gothenburg. With three stages and various flexible spaces, the arena is designed to provide a great shared experience for both physical and digital participants. “This type of solution is here to stay,” says Malin Erlandsson, director congress and events at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers. Back in early spring 2020 the venue complex in Gothenburg began devising a digital and hybrid meeting portfolio with scalable solutions based on customer needs. The new studio solution has been specially developed to accommodate larger meetings with a focus on optimising the experience at hybrid events. “We know that our customers need to be able to hold larger productions in a secure format once this is permissible again. With our Hybrid Event Arena we can swiftly assist them in reaching out with their message and products in a way that is both safe and cost-effective,” says Erlandsson. The arena is 4,000sqm with a 30-metre-wide stage offering scope for three different sets. The configuration of the venue and stage area makes it possible to adapt the broadcasts and content to suit different target groups, either physical, digital or both – regardless of where in the world they might be. The loading doors also mean large objects to be brought in, allowing the venue to stage large-scale product launches. The Hybrid Event Arena is a collaboration between the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers and their audiovisual partner Adapt. “There are big differences in arranging physical, digital and hybrid events. But for us, digital meetings are nothing new. In the past year alone the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers together with Adapt have hosted hundreds of digital events. Together we cover all elements – from choice of venue, concept, technology, project management and producer role to décor, direction and script,” says Viking Grandin, senior project manager at Adapt. In its basic configuration the arena is suitable for 300 physical participants. “It feels fantastic to be able to offer our customers the possibility to scale up in a safe manner as we head towards more positive times,” Erlandsson says. “This type of solution is here to stay. There will be a need for digital participants in the future too, or a combination of digital and physical meetings, which means tough demands in terms of technology and new solutions. The experience should be equally positive for all participants, whether they are attending physically or digitally. And we’ll make sure of that,” he adds.