Experience. I think a lot about that word. It’s how I developed a passion for the type of everyday objects that we share at Port of Raleigh.
From a re-imagined water bottle to an ultra-soft and indulgent bath towel, we experience these things every time we interact with them by looking, touching, and using. On a macro level, I think a lot about our built environment: the buildings we inhabit, the streets we walk and drive on…literally everything is an experience.
The word “experience” is everywhere these days in talks about the future of retail, how millennials choose to spend their money, and what consumers, in general, want. Over the past several years the popular conversation has been about buying experiences, not things. Accumulating memories, not possessions. All valid in their own right but what these conversations miss is the fact that we do experience things. Things can also create the framework for memories.
" Over the past several years the popular conversation has been about buying experiences, not things. Accumulating memories, not possessions.
All valid in their own right but what these conversations miss is the fact that we do experience things. Things can also create the framework for memories "
When we invest in experiences - and by invest, I mean choosing to spend any amount of money - I see two general types: momentary and lasting. The former is experienced, completed, and conveys a memory (think dining out, a concert, travel). The latter is experienced on an on-going basis, creating memories along the way (everyday things go here). Both types of experiences, momentary and lasting, play important roles in our lives.
While enjoying your momentary experiences, consider this:
A) we likely use things to achieve our experiential goals, and
B) we inhabit environments where things come together to give us lasting memories.
That incredible meal you had at that incredible restaurant? Things were a part of that. From the lighting to the table settings to the building itself…those things were designed and curated to enhance your experience. And those things will continue to play their lasting role in creating experiences for patrons to come, day after day. Long after you’ve enjoyed your momentary meal.
How can this be applied to everyday life? By finding equal value in both momentary and lasting experiences through the intentionality of the things you bring into your life. You can create your own restaurant-like experience on a daily basis.
I personally love vacations that recharge my batteries and expand my world, but I also love the objects that make up my everyday like the utensils I use in the kitchen, the bed and bedsheets I sleep on, the toys my daughter plays with, the bag I carry, and so on. I value them because they make up my everyday and when selected with intention, they bring absolute joy. Incrementally, day by day, every single interaction - or rather, experience - adds up to a greater sense of wellbeing. Experiences aren’t once a week or once in a lifetime, they’re a part of our everyday.
" Experiences aren’t once a week or once in a lifetime, they’re a part of our everyday. "
None of this is new thinking but by bringing the word “experience” to the forefront, I see an opportunity to better express the “what” and “why” of Port of Raleigh. With today’s endless options for things at our fingertips, our particular curation is based on what excites us most: designs that are of our time, are simple yet intriguing, and effortlessly do their part in helping you #experienceyoureveryday.
We hope you love them.
Ana Maria Muñoz
Owner, Port of Raleigh
