Imagine a Greenwich Village apartment turning into a pop-up food shop, or the basement of a storage center opening early for a Daybreaker party, or a rustic backyard becoming a fashion runway.
These are all recent projects by Splacer, an Israel-based startup that finds one-of-a-kind spaces for customers who are hosting big events. The platform helps users locate unique, often hidden venues in New York City and Tel Aviv.
Splacer co-founders Lihi Gerstner, Adi Biran, and Lior Ash noticed that there are tons of underutilized spaces in urban areas, especially in homes during the day and offices during the evening hours.
“The key is opening up the city so people can explore and enjoy the space, the view, and the experiences,” says Gerstner. “There are so many spaces you can use, whether it be a distillery, factory, gallery, kibbutz, or private and underground spaces.”
The possibilities are endless. The venues on offer host events ranging from fashion shows to art exhibits to rooftop dinners. The company’s biggest market is New York, where it operates out of WeWork Chelsea. It’s collaborating with fashion designers and museums to make spaces even more amazing.
When the co-founders aren’t seeking out new spaces, they’re often hosting events in their own homes.
“Lihi and myself, we host in our own homes in Tel Aviv—local activities such as workshops, meetings, and photo shoots,” Biran says. “We don’t only preach what we do; we also participate in this.”
As architects, the co-founders weren’t used to changing things at a moment’s notice. But while they build their business, they’re learning to roll with the punches. One recent challenge was waking up at 4:30 a.m. to redesign a button on their website.
“We are new to this idea of creative procedures, but this startup gives us space to experiment with them,” Biran says. “Space is a blank canvas, and we’re a business that works with that canvas all the time to build our team and create memorable experiences.”
Photo credit: Splacer