Art Direction, Environmental Design, Projection & Lighting Concept
Role: Art Director
Client: Crobar NYC / Victor Calderone
Location: New York City
Industry: Nightlife, Entertainment, Experiential
Agency: Garage Studio
Overview
As Art Director for Crobar NYC, I led the design and implementation of a custom-built dome structure positioned directly above the dance floor for a Victor Calderone headlining event. The goal was to transform the club’s central space into a fully immersive visual environment — one that responded to sound, movement, and atmosphere — creating a sensory experience unlike anything else in New York nightlife at the time.
This project blended architectural design, club culture, projection, and light-driven storytelling into a single sculptural installation.
Concept
The core design revolved around constructing a capped dome above the dance floor — a floating hemisphere that acted as both a canvas and a spatial experience.
The dome became a 360° projection and lighting surface, allowing us to create an ever-changing environment overhead:
- rotating mandala patterns
- pulsing radial graphics
- saturated color shifts
- abstract interior “worlds”
- percussive light bursts synced to Calderone’s set
It turned the dance floor into a kinetic theatre — a space where visuals and sound fused into one energetic system.
My Role
- Art direction & environmental design
- Dome concept, sketches, and dimensional planning
- Visual direction for all projection content
- Color palette and motion look development
- Collaborating with lighting designers and club engineers
- Ensuring the dome integrated structurally with the existing club rigging
- Overseeing installation and on-site adjustments
Design & Technical Approach
1. Dome Structure
The design required a lightweight but rigid cap that could be hung above the crowd. Working with fabricators, I guided the:
- circular skeletal frame layout
- tensioned surface design
- attachment points for safe rigging
- curvature profile for optimal projection
Engineering drawings (shown in your image) helped finalize the dome geometry, ensuring both stability and ideal projection angles.
2. Visual Language
The dome’s content was built from a series of cinematic loops:
- radial “energy core” visuals
- swirling textures
- color-shifting environments
- abstract organic forms
- rhythmic patterns responding to the music
This allowed the dome to behave like a living organism above the dance floor — transforming throughout the night.
3. Projection & Lighting Coordination
The installation involved tight coordination with:
- lighting programmers
- projectionists
- club AV techs
The dome served as a hybrid screen + lighting reflector, making visuals feel bigger, brighter, and more dimensional.
Experience
For club-goers, the result was a high-energy, hypnotic visual dome that elevated Victor Calderone’s set and redefined the Crobar floor. People weren’t just watching visuals — they were inside them.
This installation became a signature moment for Crobar’s creative evolution and a standout example of early 2000s New York nightlife pushing into immersive design.
Outcome
- Increased audience engagement and crowd energy
- A visually iconic environment remembered by attendees
- Set a higher standard for club production design in NYC
- Demonstrated how architecture, lighting, and motion can merge into one unified club experience
Credits
Art Direction & Design: Albertico Acosta
Agency: Garage Studios / Obscura Digital
Client: Crobar NYC
DJ / Event: Victor Calderone