I am always open to new experiences and Bloom definitely is a thing you have to just go with. My friend L and I went to Bloom: Open Space in the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam. We did not really know what to expect, just that we were going to wear Microsoft Hololens glasses. It was very, very weird to get in.

So it was held at the Transformatorhuis, which is a beautiful open space, just like the name of the experience. However, to get in we had to take this weird big door on the side of the building, where this guy let us in. It was all dark, we had to put our phones on silent and it was a bit weird entering like this.

Then inside we had to go to this desk, and then another desk, and another desk, it was all very elaborate for something that should be pretty easy. While we were waiting for other people to finish, we could already see what the deal was. Or.. kinda.. There were all these people standing in a circle with the Hololens on, using their index fingers and thumbs to make ‘photos’. On a few huge screens you could see all these bubbles in multiple colors.

What the heck, it looked a bit weird. I was hoping I did not get L uncomfortable hihi, but soon we could also put our Hololens on and it was superfun. The thing is that the screens do not matter, the Hololens shows the world as we also see it, but puts objects in it. In this case we were the ones putting objects in it: circle shaped colored objects called Blooms, that would grow and make a little sound when you put them there.

Very awesome, as you can see eachothers bubbles and walk around them. You could almost touch them, but not really of course. It was so cool to just be with the two of us, seeing all these orb shaped things, while no one else in the room could see them. We played around, putting all these blooms on eachother, listening to the fun little sounds they would make, it was good fun.

After approximately ten minutes our Bloom: Open Space experience was over but it was good fun. It really shows amazing things Hololens can do and I really like how it is offering a bit of the real world too. WE had fun, it was a nice feeling making all those blooms and it felt pretty special to have been there. I am happy I went there for a writing gig though, cause I am not sure if I would feel 25 euros for two people would be its money’s worth.

Bloom is an app by the way, in case you are interested. You can also use it without VR glasses.