Wait, Where?: “SYNTOPIA” is set to take over the Discovery Building

The decision to host Vault’s F26 Fashion Show at the Discovery Building was driven by the building’s architectural features.

Written by Lydia Picotte

It’s in the script. 

Anyone who’s toured the University of Wisconsin-Madison has almost certainly walked through the Discovery Building, even if only for a moment, maybe to listen to a cheerful tour guide point out the engineering and biological feat that is the building's indoor trees, growing straight out of the floor, or perhaps to grab a bite at Aldo’s Cafe. But beyond being an iconic novelty the building has a deeper purpose that is often less explained.

The Discover Building’s upper floors are home to two research institutes: the Morgridge Institute for Research and the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. The main-floor atrium, when it’s not being used as a study space, hosts conferences, receptions, lectures and other events, all with the mission of sharing ideas. This makes the building more than just an interesting tour stop. Collaboration, and of course, discovery, lie at the heart of its mission. 

What better place to hold a fashion show?

The Vault’s 9th fashion show “SYNTOPIA,”  taking place on December 5, aims to combine brutalist, industrial aesthetics, with earthy, organic materials. When deciding where to host the show, Vault leadership wanted to choose a place where they could best capture the juxtaposition and combination of the two styles. Given these criteria, the Discovery Building immediately stood out.

Lilly Hartzell, The Vault’s Vice President, says that when she and President, Elena Bui, first toured the building, they were instantly hooked.

Lilly Hartzell, Vice President of The Vault

“Elena and I had a whole list of options for the venue from Morgridge to the Orpheum,” she says. “We even considered a public pool. We kept our options open, but we both loved the Discovery Building so much and were drawn to it the moment we toured the space. It was clear to both of us that the Discovery Building was ideal for our concept, we just faced the competitive queue for events hosted in the space.”

The pair found that their greatest challenge with booking the venue for the December show was competing with holiday events. Ultimately securing the venue was not only an accomplishment, but a sign that they made the right choice.

 “It was pure luck that there was availability for us as it’s such a competitive venue,” says Hartzell. “After meeting with the Associate Director of Event Services, Elena and I stayed in the space and talked further logistics. Being in the space allowed the concept of “SYNTOPIA” to come to life. We are so thrilled to watch this show come together and eager to see the Discovery Building evolve to be our ideal “SYNTOPIA.”

Celia Brown, Creative Director for “SYNTOPIA”

Celia Brown, “SYNTOPIA”’s creative director, echoes Hartzell’s excitement over the unique architecture of the Discovery Building and how well it plays into the vision for the final production. Brown, Hartzell and Bui all agree that the atrium’s natural lighting will play a major role in the look of the show. Brown adds that the space’s natural wood paneling, combined with its marble floors fit naturally into the brutalist vs. organic dichotomy of “SYNTOPIA”. 

Meanwhile, the set design process has already begun, and The Vault creatives are preparing to transform the space even further. For Brown, the end goal is to curate a calming environment where a relaxed audience is forced to reexamine their relationship with brutalist structures. 

“The audio and set design will likely have a brutalist feel; brutalism often gets a bad reputation for feeling cold, harsh or depressing,” says Brown. “But I think that the architecture is beautiful. Brutalist architecture, like the Discovery Building, often incorporates a lot of natural light, and the simplicity of geometric shapes, raw material and grayscale colors can be relaxing. When people walk into the building on show day, I want them to feel at peace.”

Edited by Molly Bloomfield, Leila Ianovici, Jordyn Salahiddine-Rose, Claudia Rothberg and Robin Schleusner