Throughout the years, every university needs to raise some much needed funds for capital improvements. Whether new construction or necessary repairs, it is vitally important for the ongoing success of any college. We were recently brought on to help a local Chicago University with their 2010 Capital Campaign. We not only took on design, decor & floral, but we also worked closely & collaborated with different departments within the University to help get everyone effectively to their final fundraising destination. A little event “ICA project management” never hurts when dealing with a project this large, and this important to the University.
The event began in the main gathering space in the Student Union. The room was transformed into a “stage in the round” with a custom-built stage, circular graphic and a large overhead truss. In collaboration with the school’s theater department, the stage was designed for a special program featuring current & former students, and how their lives have been changed forever by the University. The design of the truss, trampoline fabric and dangling acrylic squares was to be reminiscent of the school’s large stained glass window. It might look like a lot of rigging & lights now, but…
Add some lighting… and suddenly you’ve got a dramatic stained glass effect!!!
After the kick-off program, guests headed out onto the Quad for an open air, tented Cocktail Reception. A fresh assortment of viburnum, purple hydrangea and sea holly adorned the open air tables.
After the reception, guests flowed into the adjacent tent that had been erected & covered the majority of the school’s Quad. A formal sit-down dinner with elevated centerpieces, as well as collections of lower arrangements. The color palette established during the cocktail reception continued on during dinner with the addition of blue & purple delphinium exploding from tall glass vases.
And while the tables & flowers may all beautiful, the tent is still a tent… UNTIL our Lighting Designer Jeremy splashes all sorts of fun colors across the rooftop!