The Lobby

As an attendee at a conference that The Trillium Creations worked on, David was always impressed by the production value.  So, he approached Business Development lead (and long-time Trillium partner) Lia Kennett and The Trillium with his idea and asked if a conference that isn't really a conference, could be designed.  The Trillium jumped at the opportunity to help create this new live event model.  And from that, in 2006, one of the most highly regarded conferences in the tech industry was born.

The Lobby Conference is all about networking. There’s no stage, no presentations, no time spent sitting in a ballroom – it’s just about connections. Teaming with David to create an “un-conference” presented an interesting challenge for The Trillium Creations because there’s not just one traditional production set up that runs over the course of the conference. Instead, we install multiple environments that are designed not only to entertain, but to also facilitate the open dialogue and networking amongst attendees that is key to The Lobby ethos. The goal is to stay one step ahead of the attendees over the course of the two-and-a-half-day conference, keeping them surprised and providing multiple opportunities for connection.

The Lobby became such a successful conference that, after seven years, David added a second edition, each one with an over-arching theme executed with singular design, production, and attention to detail. For The Lobby Book Club in 2015, each guest provided five copies of their favorite book, custom inscribed with the reasoning behind why it was their favorite. From there, the books were randomly redistributed amongst the attendees in a book exchange, opening the door for dialogue between the guests. The Trillium then created a Library dinner party filled with larger-than-life versions of the books submitted.

2013’s Lobby Music Festival showcased the level of effort we put into both the large and small details of this production. From an onsite agenda delivered in a custom gatefold album sleeve, to an after-dinner drum circle for 200+ people under a giant Banyan tree hosted by the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart. 

When David asked for a house party in 2014 as part of the Architecture theme, we built a 4,000-square-foot, furnished “house” inside a ballroom that was kept hidden while attendees enjoyed a communal dinner party until a dramatic post-dinner reveal of the structure. Guests then spent the evening exploring and enjoying the different rooms, from a fully equipped game room to sing-alongs with a piano player in the living room. 

For 2017’s Travel theme, we installed a multi-car train inside a ballroom that attendees boarded for a luxury dining car dinner, complete with LED screens in the windows, lighting and sound effects, and subwoofers under the stage, all making it feel like the train was in transit. After dinner, as the train “arrived” at its destination, doors were opened to reveal a Southwestern setting and guests exited for a post dinner party including a live Bluegrass band, games, drinks, and dessert.

These are just a few examples of the creative collaborations between David and The Trillium Creations team that have also included a carnival, art installations, a drive-in movie theater, an airport departure terminal, a movie studio backlot, and even a wedding, as well as so much more. Over the course of our nearly two decade relationship, no idea has been too big or too small for The Trillium Creations to execute for The Lobby Conference.