Status, affinity, convenience, power dynamics, return on labour, time, effort, the market opportunity, cheap signaling, sunken costs, the compulsions of economics, rewards, recognition, compliance and last but not the least what your heart and gut is asking you to build or create determines what we end up building or creating.
So, if the need of the time is to build a place that attracts people to share their ideas, a basic plain vanilla facility will do nicely. But what if the vision is to build something that has all the trappings to attract the best and the brightest, facilities and amenities that impress the most discerning, what if the objective is to signal your power and influence amongst key stakeholders be it the government, the social hierarchy and the sanctum sanctorum, or the inspiration is to bring in new audiences to your work and creation who hitherto have not been exposed to it, pulling out all stops to build the next next and the best best would be the go to.
MVPs are fine: that said, they are meant to be just that: a Minimum Viable Product– it does not bring the range and the entire suite of possibilities into play, nor does it fully exhibit or demonstrate the potential it holds and the depth and strength of your vision. Albeit, it gets created because, one can get away with that. It is passable and ticks a box. That also is a call out for a ‘ race to the bottom ‘.
The opportunities that we have to build something that creates a lasting impact and leaves behind an enviable legacy might be few and far between. But the good news is that such opportunities exist. And if we can show up and ship out the best possible version of what you are building that defies norms, defaults and expectations but something that really matters- so, grab that chance.