New Year, Big Plans.
GREETINGS FROM OUR NEW DIGS!
After outgrowing four office spaces in three years, we’ve finally found a new home in the heart of Downtown Durham. Surrounded by the entrepreneurial spirit of the American Underground and the bustling energy of local businesses, we’ve created an inspirational new space and a platform to engage more closely with the local community.
I sat down with our co-founders, Josh and Mike, to understand the vision behind the new location and why they chose to settle on a busy street corner in the ‘Startup Capital of the South.’
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE INTO THIS SPECIFIC OFFICE LOCATION?
Josh: Toward the end of last year, it became obvious that we were outgrowing our space at the American Tobacco Campus. We didn’t know how realistic it would be to stay within the American Underground (AU) given the nature of what we do, but even with our list of unique needs they totally came through for us! After walking through the new space we could immediately see our team growing and thriving there. As a Durham-born company we always wanted to stay downtown, so we were thrilled with the outcome.
Mike: A corner space in the heart of downtown Durham felt appropriate for this stage of our business and where we want to be. We’re inescapably in the pulse of downtown now. As Durham grows, we will grow with it.
WHAT WAS YOUR VISION FOR YOUR NEW OFFICE SPACE?
Josh: With this move, we really wanted to get it right so this can be our home for a while. We wanted to maintain the open plan, but also divide it into discrete collaboration zones. We thought a lot about how the physical layout could be most conducive to collaboration, and we kept everything modular so it could evolve as our company evolves. We also had fun with the decor, especially the artwork. We are drawn to images of dreamlike experiences and cyberpunk landscapes that challenge the way people think about the nature of reality and the relationship between humans and technology.
Mike: As a VR production studio, we have unique needs for our space, for demoing, ideating and storyboarding, and all of these things we’re trying to facilitate by the way we’re setting our space up. I like that any AU guest or member, or even people walking down the street, can look in and see people with headsets on and wonder what’s going on in there?
As a ground-level corner unit with windows on all sides, we are providing the general public with a direct window into how virtual and augmented reality content is actually created. I don’t know of anywhere else in the Southeast where you can experience that!
The light, the connection to the city, and the connection to the AU also play into the vibrancy and energy I feel in this space. VR is, in a very real sense, stepping into another reality, so when anyone steps into our space, I want them to feel that new way of looking at things. This is the space we’re going to be in for quite some time and as we grow, I couldn’t think of a better place to be.
So, there you have it! We’ve settled in and with more room for client demos and collaboration. 2019 is shaping up to be a great year!
Stay In The Know:
We plan to host many community events this year, including a casual Open House event for American Underground members and neighbors. To stay up-to-date with what’s happening at Lucid Dream, follow us on social @LucidDreamVR or come back to our blog for more.
Written by Nicole Benham
Marketing and Events Manager, Lucid Dream VR
