Mirvac 50th Anniversary
Event Type: Special Event
Venue: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Mister Milford was engaged by the Mirvac National team to design, implement and manage the celebrations in NSW to mark the occasion of this incredible milestone.
The first of three events by Mister Milford was designed for the Mirvac staff, encompassing the local and national teams across NSW. With a guest list of 950 people, the event was to be staged at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney incorporating all galleries and event spaces in the South Building.
The most crucial element of the brief was the focus on guest experience. The objective was to provide the hard working and dedicated staff a chance to celebrate their successes together, relax, reflect and socialise with their colleagues and truly enjoy an evening event specially produced just for them.
With Mirvac, the difference is in the detail. Mister Milford managed all event design elements, furniture & décor, staging and audio visual, entertainment, catering, styling, food & beverage bars, stations, tables, carts and kiosks, florals and event installations were managed by Mister Milford. The biggest challenge faced was in timing and logistics. The Art Gallery remains open to the public until 5pm with guests to arrive at 6pm. With only 1 hour to have all these elements delivered, set up and ready for guests, the task seemed nigh on impossible. We love a challenge!
The ‘Function Space’ at the rear of AGNSW, the only space not accessed by the public, became our production hub. Bringing in key pieces, setting up a floral installation space and pre-building as many elements as space would allow gave us the basis of our plan. Mister Milford created a floor plan to match the event flow for the evening, sectioning off the entry, vestibule and 20th & 21st Century Gallery from the main space of the Entrance Court with a floor to ceiling, blue velvet drape spanning 15m wide x 3.6m high. This allowed set up to be completed out of view, while @luxestrings string quartet entertained guests on arrival in the vestibule, with canapes and champagne trayed by a large troop of expert wait staff.
At 6:45pm, the lights in the entrance court are dimmed. Behind the curtain, the space is completely dark. A musical arrangement of “Celebration” mashed with “Can’t stop the feeling” was written specifically for the event creating an unforgettable moment for guests. As the music commenced, guests witnessed the kabuki drop, revealing the larger gallery space.
Spotlights sequentially lit four vocalists on small podiums placed throughout the grand hall. Loudly and clearly, singing their solo lines before the whole @ladylikemusic band joined in to a crescendo of joy!
Throughout the space adorned with florals, navy, white and gold décor and beautiful lighting from @32hundred guests enjoyed a feature circular bar in the centre of the hall, styled food stations including a Sushi, Sashimi & Blini Bar, Poke Bowl & Salad Bar, substantial hot & cold canapes and food carts serving fresh, hot pasta. With the stage set for formalities, following a Welcome to Country from Uncle Allen Madden, guests heard heartfelt speeches from Mirvac Founder Bob Hamilton, and CEO Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz to name a few.
The Restaurant became “The Parlour” for the evening with a spectacular long, tall table of Charcuterie & Fromagerie and a glamourous Dessert Bar. The “Function Space” was transformed in to “The Jazz Lounge” providing moody Rhythm & Blues live music performances by @thegraduates with the bar serving a curated red wine list and cocktails for guests, making the expanse of the gallery a destination to be explored and unique offerings in each of the spaces.
