Make Your Dreams a Reality in the Dream Machine – Exclusive Interview with Creator Paige Solomon
Ever wondered what it would be like if your dreams became reality? Well in Brooklyn, New York, dreams really do come true, as the city is currently bringing to life a new immersive experience where you can literally walk through the stuff of dreams. The Dream Machine exhibit is home to 10 immersive rooms filled with fluffy clouds, bubbles, cotton candy, and so much more! Inspired by our most common dreams and sleep cycle, the Dream Machine has to be one of the most Instagram-worthy destinations to be.
Richard Magazine recently caught up with Paige Solomon, the creator behind the Dream Machine, in an exclusive Q & A to learn about the inspiration behind the exhibit, the experiences, and what to expect in the near future. Check out our interview below!
Richard Magazine: How does it feel to come from an ad agency, working on creating pop up spaces for brands and then creating one of your very own unique spaces?
Paige Solomon: It feels great! I learned a lot from working with clients and how to stretch budgets. But obviously, it is so rewarding to create your own brand with your own unique vision. Plus, the approval process is so much easier (you know, since I’m the only one approving haha).
Richard Magazine: What made this location so great for your installation?
Paige Solomon: New Yorkers are so hungry for experiences, so we knew we wanted to do it here. And Williamsburg is the kind of area that attracts a ton of weekend and evening foot traffic, both from those who live in Manhattan and local Brooklynites! So we knew it was the right place for us to set up shop, so to speak.
Richard Magazine: Where did you get the idea for the Dream Machine?
Paige Solomon: Dreams are something that everyone has, whether it’s an aspirational or an actual night-time dream. So we wanted to build out an experience that was universally relatable, and appealing to adults and kids alike.
Richard Magazine: What steps had to be taken to bring this idea to life?
Paige Solomon: So much concepting and figuring out what could and could not be done to make all attendees really feel like they were in a dream. We interviewed and hired and contracted amazing people to help with build-out, lighting, music, everything! It’s been a real labor of love.
Richard Magazine: How long did it take before the concept became a reality?
Paige Solomon: I came up with the idea in November and then started raising money immediately. By January we had the venue, by February we were building, March was spent finalizing builds and making sure all permits were good to go, and April we launched!
Richard Magazine: How did you decide what would be on display for each room?
Paige Solomon: A lot of the space was inspired by common dreams we all have. But I also knew a few touch points I wanted to have. Hidden surprises, fog filled bubbles, technicolor lights — and then I created a story line and how it all flowed together to make it feel like a cohesive experience.
Richard Magazine: What experiences do you want your guests to have here?
Paige Solomon: Everyone’s individual experience in the space will vary so much. But ultimately, we want each visitor to leave feeling inspired and refreshed!
Richard Magazine: How do you think guests’ social media postings bring this space to life?
Paige Solomon: We’ve shared some of our favorite social media posts from visitors on our personal Instagram, but it’s hard to narrow it down! We’ve seen some truly amazing posts come out of the space from all kinds of visitors, and we love that! But the space was designed to be experienced, so even if Instagram isn’t your thing, it’s the kind of space you can visit and have fun in, even if you don’t want to snap a photo! But of course, in this digital age, each room is equipped with photo opps and just the right lighting to make any post look perfect. Lucky for us, people want to share this space with their followers and obviously word of mouth is still the best marketing tool out there!
Richard Magazine: Where do you see this exhibit heading in the future?
Paige Solomon: If NYC will have us, we’d love to continue our stay in Williamsburg. And we’d love to bring the experience to other cities. No dream too big!
More on pop-up exhibits. More on Instagram-worthy destinations.