Smoke and Mirrors 2. Mirror room. The placement of the lounge area directly behind the storefront allows for the street to join the party. A mysterious moon outside lights up the interior space.
Smoke and Mirrors 3. The walls are clad in a reflective construction foil.
Smoke and Mirrors 4. Skinny fluorescents fill the bar in a pink glow.
Smoke and Mirrors 5. Smoke room. For architecture’s ultimate network party we filled one room in a dense fog, creating a new form of intimacy. A poisonous light creates a virtual ceiling.
Smoke and Mirrors 6. The dance room where animated projections dance to the music. © Iwan Baan.
Smoke.

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4. Smoke and Mirrors

An event that triggers both feelings of love and condemnation among the cities beaux ties, the yearly Beaux Arts Ball of the Architectural League in New York is the place for young aspiring architects to make a scene, in any sense of the word.

Smoke and Mirrors 1.

Oblivious as we were to the inner workings of this ensemble, we produced non-architectural space. Through sensatory distortions a supernatural environment was created. The notoriously sour New York architecture scene found temporary solace in this wondrous atmosphere of dynamic projections and reflections set within a dense haze. One room was filled with a dense fog, reducing visibility at this networking party to the bare minimum. Poisonous yellow light created a fake ceiling through which one could descend into the haze.

A second space, a place for people to lounge, was made up out of walls clad with reflective construction foil. Walls and openings were placed such that you could do little else then bump into one another and plunge down on one of the silver bean bags. All infused by pink fluorescent tubes, booze and a fake moon outside…smoke and mirrors…

More pictures here.