VANITY FAIR OSCAR PARTY

ADAPTIV Structure Solutions was contacted by Basil Walter, the principal architect at BW Architect’s New York, to collaborate on the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. After out-growing Morton’s Steak House, West Hollywood, the event was looking for a larger outdoor venue in Beverly Hills. Vanity Fair partnered with the City of Beverly Hills to relocate the event in front of City Hall between North and South Santa Monica.

We accepted the challenge to provide structures the length of the 400-foot street with an 11-foot drop under a seriously tight deadline. Each year since has been a constant development of new tent structure designs and custom flooring elements. The structure begins at 2 feet and ends 13 feet off the ground. Utilizing a combination of custom baseplate and ballast, our team is able to create a one-of-a-kind experience that includes two stories of glass overlooking a patio that faces the historic City Hall Building.
As the first team on the scene, we need to produce a leveled structure that will host the Entrance Hall, Press Tent (including the famous Vanity Fair Lattice Wall), Cocktail,
Dining and Kitchen Structures. Meeting the strict timeline and working with and around the other vendors (Décor, Lighting, Sound, Video, Catering, Florist and more) was of the utmost importance.

We met and exceeded these expectations every year for the last 6 years. Because Vanity Fair does not want their guests to have to leave the party to utilize restrooms, we created custom overhang connections that keep guests dry and unaware that everything isn’t under one roof. Working with The French Laundry Restaurant and Chef Thomas Keller, we invented special ventilation system to keep the kitchen smoke-free. Year after year ADAPTIV Structure Solutions continues to work hand-in-hand with Vanity Fair under the direction of Pete Barford to create the most sought-after ticket during the Oscar season. Even Sir Elton John attends every year after hosting his fundraiser event nearby.

The challenge was that no 40m Monopitch had ever been manufactured or attempted before. To add to the complexity of the project, they also requested that the hanging load per arch meet a minimum of 2,500 pounds each. We accepted the challenge and got to work with their engineers to create the industry’s first 40m Monopitch 40m in depth, 45m in width and a 53’ center height. The hanging load per arch met and exceeded 2,500 pounds. Custom baseplates, knee-braces and roof panels were all required to meet the goal. We were also tasked with providing heat and maintaining a 73-degree average at all times.

Other structures for the compound included a Press Tent, Cocktail Tent, Catering-Kitchen Tents and all Support Structures, totaling more than 35,000 square feet. Losberger De Boer, Steeldeck and All-Access Staging comprised the floor space and the walls were combination of vinyl, hard wall, and glass. This event usually takes six months of planning, three weeks to install, and five days to tear down.The biggest obstacle we overcame was working with NASA Engineers on a D Exposure and one of the highest safety standards in the nation.