Another spectacular American Made Summit is in “our books”.
This weekend, I hosted our fifth annual Martha Stewart American Made event in the clerestory of our headquarters at the historic Starrett Lehigh building in New York City. It's an event I host to spotlight the maker, to celebrate the hand crafted, and to support local production. Every year, my editors and I honor small business owners and entrepreneurs in the fields of crafts, design, food and style.
Our clerestory was transformed for our panel discussions, workshops, retail booths and Honoree exhibits. Staff from every department joined together to help. Here are some photos of our set-up. All this week, I will share more images from our successful Summit, and the remarkable Honorees, speakers, makers, chefs, organizers, volunteers, and employees that made it all possible. Enjoy.
The clerestory of our office headquarters went through another major transformation for our fifth annual American Made Summit. Hundreds of guests were expected to fill our space during the event.
Temporary carpeting was laid down to enhance the sound for all the scheduled panel discussions.
Wooden platforms and walls were used to display our Honorees’ photos, stories and products.
Television screens were set up on the clerestory pillars, so all the guests, no matter where they sat, could watch and hear everything that happened on stage as well as in the videos that played.
This year, the perimeter of the clerestory was used for our “shop” – where makers could set-up their products for sale.
Enhancements were made from above for proper lighting and sound, and any cables were hidden from sight.
As the morning progressed, crews began setting up audio and video equipment. Cameras positioned on platforms would capture and record everything on stage for our archives.
Audio and video equipment were delivered in boxes and Pelican cases and set up by the crew from FPS Full Production Services Inc. http://www.go2fps.com
The back wall of our clerestory, above our stage, was embellished with a giant print of the United States by Spoonflower, a maker and 2013 American Made Honoree that specializes in custom print fabrics. http://www.spoonflower.com
Various aisles surrounding our clerestory were also used – this one designated as a networking area for guests to talk and share business ideas and experiences.
Taylor Creative Inc. supplied the furniture pieces. Taylor Creative, Inc. is so dedicated to perfection, they design and build
their own furniture in Long Island City. http://taylorcreativeinc.com
In our hallway leading into the clerestory, crews hung photos of past Summits for guests to see as they entered the space.
Collages featured makers, speakers and other memorable moments from preceding years.
Final carpet pieces were measured, taped and positioned on the floor.
Tests were conducted to go over prompter and sound levels on stage and to check for proper lighting from every angle.
All the necessary microphones and battery packs were laid out and tested.
Each chair was placed strategically, so every guest could see the stage.
Signs were cut out of foam core to perfection as booths were set-up.
By afternoon, tests were conducted to make sure monitors were properly color-corrected.
Rehearsals began with our Honorees so they were comfortable speaking to the audience, and could project clearly enough for the large space.
Every detail was reviewed again and again to make sure the transformation was perfect.
Pedro Reyes and Martin Mendoza from our facilities team were on hand to help with set-up.
Signs were placed on walls in one of this year’s core theme colors – gray.
The crew had a lot of equipment to set-up for the day’s event.
This corner was where sound would be controlled for various speaker output.
The maker “shop” spaces came alive as the hours passed.
A crafts area was set-up with various stations where guest could make easy do-it-yourself projects with our experts. This year, Toyota provided our craft – you will see it at our Summit.
This large tree trunk was brought in by NYCitySlab, a company dedicated to saving fallen trees and rescuing and recycling beautiful slabs from mulch, destruction and waste, and transforming them into works of art and function for the home. NYCitySlab was one of this year’s honored companies.
Our 7500 square foot clerestory began to take on a whole new look.
Everything looks perfect for our special anniversary Summit. Tomorrow, I will share photos from our cocktail party for this year’s Honorees.