There’s a well known William Shakespeare quote from his epic
“Romeo and Juliet” that goes like this – “What’s
in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet”.
The
quotation implies that an object, no matter how you call it, is still
that object and will retain its features or characteristics.
I
cited this well-known quotation to point out that a government project
no matter how it is called, will retain the function it serves based
on its design.
This
matter of choosing a name came to mind when I saw that what has been
previously called the “Tacloban Astrodome” while under
construction is now called two names: “Tacloban City Convention
Center” and “Coliseum of the City of Tacloban”
The
name of this huge building (by Tacloban City standards) is important
because it is supposed to tell potential users what activities can
be held in it.
The
question therefore is: is the design of this building suited for a
“convention”?.
Architects
would have clear answers to this question.
I
am not an architect. So my observations will be from a user’s
perspective having attended conventions.
The
best conventions I have attended were those held at the Philippine
International Convention Center, at the Manila Hotel and at EDSA Shangrila
Hotel.
The
lay-out and facilities in these venues are ideal. These include: Excellent
ventilation (you won’t perspire when inside it), excellent seating
(you are not crammed like sardines), excellent acoustics (you can
clearly hear the proceedings whereever you are in the convention hall),
and excellent “break-out” or “workshop” rooms
for small group meetings which are normally part of the activities
in a convention.
The
second question is: Does the Tacloban City Convention Center”
meet the above standards? My humble opinion is: it does not.
This
being the case, I suppose it needs a new name. Redesigning it will
entail a huge expense.
A
sports arena or coliseum appears to be more appropriate. It certainly
is not a concert hall.
What’s
in a name?
Plenty.
I will continue writing about this topic in next week’s column.