'Think Space' boosts business brains

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As his innovation, Gilian has created a bespoke 'Think Space' installation, which has gone into Crowne Plaza hotels in Belgium, Germany, the Middle East and the UK today.

The Think Space has been designed to reinvigorate weary business travellers arriving at the hotel after a flight or journey. The idea behind the Think Space is that the traveller can spend five minutes within the specially designed space and the experience will stimulate their mind, ensuring that they are refreshed and productive for the rest of their working day.

To create the Think Space, Gilian researched the effect that targeting the five senses has on the brain and designed each aspect of the Think Space to stimulate each one individually, meaning that the mind is awakened after a journey and therefore more focused . Gilian's ambition was to create the waking equivalent of a power nap, whereby the user is energised in a short period of time.

The Think Space is a private oasis for one person and free of all external distractions, allowing the user to focus fully. The space itself is an air-filled oval shape, suspended from a steel frame, which the business traveller 'unzips' to enter.

Once inside, each sense is targeted as follows:

• Taste: Travel is known to affect taste, with recent research showing that flying dulls the taste buds by up to 30%. On entering the Think Space, the user will be offered a simple mint, which is proven to reinvigorate and refresh the senses.


• Touch: the room contains a comfy chair for the business traveller to sit back and relax on. Whilst reclining they will be able to play with a tactile ball next to the chair. The user will be encouraged to use alternate hands so the movement stimulates both sides of the brain.


• Sight: the Think Space itself has a vibrant red colour, chosen for its proven energising effect. The user will be encased by this warm, yet invigorating colour.


• Smell: the space will be infused with a peppermint scent, as research has shown that the smell of peppermint increases concentration on tasks by stimulating the brain. In research this was proved to be more effective than caffeine.


• Sound: noise minimising headphones are suspended from the ceiling in the Think Space, allowing the user to listen to a carefully selected soundtrack from iMusic. This music has been specifically engineered to stimulate the neurons of the brain which in turn get the blood pumping and the mind moving faster.

During his career, Gilian has designed the interiors of hotels, bars and restaurants across the world, including the Hotel de L'Europe in Amsterdam and the Supperclub restaurants across Europe.

Crowne Plaza hotels in Brussels, Amman, Hamburg and London will each have a Think Space installed in their hotel lobby from the end of November 2008 to early 2009.

Gilian Schrofer is the third 'Crowne Plaza innovator' to be revealed as part of this year's Crowne Plaza Think Tank campaign, which has seen the hotel brand sign up a number of creative business leaders. Each innovator works with the hotel brand to create a different product or service which directly benefits business travellers staying at Crowne Plaza hotels across the region.

Speaking of his involvement with the brand, Gilian Schrofer said:

'Business travellers have traditionally had to juggle a demanding position with added external pressures, such as long working days and jetlag. With the Think Space, I wanted to design a unique sensory experience for Crowne Plaza hotel guests which also offers a real lift to the business traveller; in effect the waking equivalent of the power-nap. By targeting each of the senses, the Think Space aims to stimulate the user for whatever lies ahead in their business day, regardless of any other factors which may make demands on their energy levels.'