Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1449234
The show runner, Joshua Safran, a New Yorker, wanted the interior spaces to accurately represent where people truly live in the city. Our main goal was that our spaces be accurate, so we had to really assess dimensions and proportions, both in terms of what the exterior would indicate where a character would live. For Obie's loft, the production chose a converted factory space. We researched the buildings where the original details had been preserved instead of the kinds of spaces where sheetrock conceals the past. We built this set on stage using architectural guidelines of American factories from the turn of the twentieth centuryeach oor is very high, and the oists are visible. For Audrey's apartment on the Upper East Side, we looked at di erent piedsterre. We picked out elements that we loved and created a space based on the oor plan of a real building. For Dumbo Hall, a membersonly nightclub where the characters meet up, the idea was an open space. It's a place where one can reveal themselves and relax and have fun. An airy space with intimate vignettes for sitting, so one can feel either separated or part of the group. I was inspired by highend restaurants, which are usually luxurious and grand. But warm tones were used for the design, and it has a homier feeling than you might expect because of the eclectic décor. Dumbo Hall is di erent from the characters' apartments or their friends' apartments, but it is equally crucial in storytelling in Gossip Girl. Jeremy W. Foil was a key Set Designer for this set, and together with Marissa Kostalimbas, Art Director, just went above and beyond to present the best version of what was wanted. I knew we wanted to incorporate stainedglass windows, although we could not a ord real ones because of time and budget. Marissa found a pretty cool technique to print color and lead in 3D on frosted plexiglass. It was like appliqué on plexiglass. One of the Graphic Artists, Amy Dholakia, mocked up various design options based on location references. After all the 3Ds were printed, Scenic Artists enhanced and added more dimension with textured vinyl in designated A B C