CASE STUDY NO. 02
Roivant Holiday Gala at The New York Public Library
The Narrative.
A corporate holiday gala produced inside one of New York’s most architecturally significant spaces — the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at The New York Public Library. The challenge was not to compete with the venue’s Beaux-Arts grandeur, but to design an environment that honored it while creating an atmosphere of warmth, celebration, and brand intimacy that the NYPL’s monumental scale does not naturally provide.
Our design approach introduced material warmth into the library’s marble and stone environment — custom table landscapes, atmospheric lighting designed to lower the perceived ceiling height and create intimacy at the guest level, and scenic elements that framed the venue’s existing architecture rather than concealing it. The production included full AV, entertainment coordination, and a choreographed guest experience from arrival through the library’s iconic corridors to the main event space.
The Challenge
Producing a high-energy corporate celebration inside a venue defined by architectural formality and institutional gravitas. The NYPL’s Beaux-Arts interiors are visually overwhelming at scale — the risk is that guests feel dwarfed by the space rather than embraced by it. The production needed to create warmth, intimacy, and celebration within a monumental volume, while respecting strict venue preservation requirements.
The Solution
We designed a layered lighting environment that sculpted the space at the human scale — warm downlighting on table surfaces, amber architectural washes on the lower walls, and subtle uplighting that acknowledged the venue’s soaring ceilings without competing with them. Custom table designs, branded scenic accents, and a choreographed arrival sequence through the library’s corridors created a narrative journey from the everyday world into the celebration. Full AV production, entertainment programming, and on-site direction ensured the evening flowed with the precision of a theatrical performance.
Common Inquiries
Case Details
Do you produce events at landmark and institutional venues?
Yes. We have extensive experience producing events at New York's most prestigious institutional venues, including spaces with strict preservation requirements, union labor mandates, and limited load-in access. Our production planning accounts for every venue-specific constraint from the first site survey.
How do you create intimacy in large-scale venues?
Through lighting design, material warmth, and spatial zoning. We use architectural lighting to lower the perceived ceiling height, introduce warm material palettes at the guest level, and design spatial sequences that guide guests through progressively more intimate environments — transforming monumental volumes into spaces that feel personal.
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