×
SEARCH
Mohsen Saraji, creative director and thematic designer
For years, many entertainment spaces in Iran were based on a familiar pattern;
A collection of games, devices and spaces for short-term excitement.
A model that focused more on "use" than "experience".
But the new generation of audience is no longer just looking for a few minutes of entertainment.
They want to enter a world where something can be felt, discovered and remembered.
This change of perspective will also change the future of entertainment spaces in Iran.
Today, in many countries of the world, the entertainment industry has passed the "fairground" and moved towards "narrative worlds"; Spaces where the audience is not just a spectator or user, but becomes a part of the story.
In this model, entertainment is no longer dependent on mechanical equipment or technology.
Narrative, experience design, visual identity, human interaction and world building have become much more important.
People today remember experiences that they can immerse themselves in.
For this reason, many successful contemporary projects are more like independent worlds than traditional entertainment complexes.
Each space has its own logic, tells its own story and brings the audience into a multi-layered experience.
This change can also be an important opportunity for Iran.
Iran is a land full of narratives, myths, history, rituals, architecture and unique cultural worlds.
A capacity that a large part of it has not yet entered the entertainment and experience-oriented industry.
While many entertainment projects in the world are built on the basis of legends, myths and cultural identity, in Iran, a large part of entertainment spaces still lack a unique narrative and personality.
The future of this industry will probably belong to projects that can create a link between entertainment and culture.
Projects that are not just a space to play, but create a narrative experience.
Imagine the audience entering a space that is inspired by the mythical worlds of Iran;
Or an imaginary city whose architecture, music, light, costume design, narration and interactive experience are rooted in the cultural memory of this land.
In such spaces, the audience doesn't just spend time;
Rather, it enters a world.
One of the most important features of narrative worlds is their ability to create deep emotional connection.
When a space can engage the audience's imagination, its experience will be much more lasting than short-term entertainment.
On the other hand, the future of entertainment spaces in Iran is highly dependent on the "experience economy".
In today's world, people value different experiences more than spending money on equipment.
For this reason, the success of future projects will probably depend less on the number of games and more on the quality of world-building.
Meanwhile, the role of interdisciplinary design becomes very important.
Architecture, industrial design, narrative, performing arts, media, music, technology, and experience design must come together to transform an entertainment space into a living world.
Perhaps the most important challenge of the future is to change the way of looking at the concept of entertainment.
Entertainment is no longer just "thrill consumption";
Rather, it is a cultural, social and even emotional experience.
If this change is understood correctly, Iran can have a new generation of cultural and entertainment spaces in the coming years;
Spaces that are not copies of foreign examples, but a reflection of our own narrative world and cultural identity.
Maybe the future of the entertainment industry in Iran is not in building more amusement parks.
Rather, it is in creating worlds that people can live in.