NICO SEMENOVA

With the help of MidJourney, the Gradient team and I developed bold, conceptual ideas to bring a new Tag Heuer product launch to life. The experience featured an impactful arrival moment, a dramatic product reveal, an intimate dinner, and a dance party. I was in charge of concept development, image sourcing, AI creative exploration, 3D modeling, render management, and photoshopping of the final images for the client pitch deck. This project has not yet been realized.

Audemars Piguet partnered with Gradient to design a one-of-a-kind event in Los Angeles, giving VIP clients an exclusive preview of three new watch releases. Our strategy team devised captivating and mysterious ways to showcase the products, while I played a key role in bringing the physical spaces - the dinner setting, entry experience, lounge areas, and product reveal moment - to life. My contributions included designing the entryway moment, the dinner moment, developing the flow-plan, 3D modeling the space and its entireties, quick sketchup renders for then photoshopping final deck imagery, creating fabrication drawings, furniture procurement, and lightly overseeing on-site construction.

Moët & Chandon approached us to collaborate on their activation at the US Open. Our task was to take over the VIP lounge, create a one-of-a-kind dinner experience on the court, design a pop-up bar cart for a branding moment, and develop a standalone booth for merchandise and product sales. I worked closely with the strategy team to design the VIP space, dinner moment, and bar cart, managed the rendering process, and photoshopped final images for the client presentations. After putting in a lot of hard work, we won the pitch, though the client ultimately didn’t move forward with the build.

Maybelline approached Gradient looking to create a unique event where both influencers and the public could experience the launch of three new beauty products. They envisioned a Coney Island style carnival theme, and we brought the vision to life with a captivating carnival-like entryway, immersive carnival-themed games, and vibrant visual displays that drew guests into the experience. My contributions included collaborating with the strategy team on interactive concepts, designing the flow plan, sourcing inspiration images, 3D modeling activation spaces, managing the rendering process, photoshopping final deck-ready images, and sourcing key items for the event.

Ruinart approached Gradient to refine a few final details for the Ruinart x Highline experience. I assisted in selecting key furniture pieces, updating the furniture layouts for both day and night parties, and creating visuals for the event’s photo moment.

We were tasked to design a lounge space that allowed for Amazon Thursday Night Football execs to get together, have some drinks, play on race car simulators, customize sneakers, and enjoy the evenings that led up to Super Bowl day. Check out the amazing transformation of Aria’s Alibi Lounge into the Amazon Lounge, as we celebrated the Superbowl with Thursdaynightfootball! Four days of exciting programming, topped off with a Chiefs’ victory, made this weekend absolutely unforgettable. Contributions: light concepting, heavy 3D modeling and rendering, construction docs, fabrication oversight, and install guidance.

In 2023, we produced the YouTube Holiday House in Los Angeles, California, as a tribute to YouTube Fashion and Lifestyle creators, featuring an exclusive shopping experience showcasing upcoming brand lines, alongside various activations, giveaways, speakers, and renowned food vendors. As the event concluded, it left attendees imbued with the holiday cheer, encouraging them to indulge in quality time with loved ones and festive delicacies. Contributions: light concepting, design development, and renders.

In response to Amazon's initiative to unveil multiple new products, we were commissioned to craft an immersive environment conducive to showcasing these innovations. Our objective was to seamlessly blend elements of a home environment with a compact retail space. The keynote stage was meticulously designed to evoke a sense of organic harmony, featuring lush plant walls and understated seating arrangements. The event culminated in resounding success, fostering an ambiance that rendered the showcased products approachable and inviting. Contribution: Demo space concepting, 3D modeling, renders, construction docs, build oversight and execution management.

I was approached by This. to collaborate on developing 3D designs for various iterations destined for Nordstrom stores. These designs encompassed options categorized as good, better, and best, each meticulously curated to highlight the product's presentation within a car seat setting, as well as alongside branded canine companions. This design was unfortunately not taken into the built environment, but it was a great quick project nonetheless. Contributions: 3D modeling, renders, and client presentations.

Alongside Medialink for CES 2023, we created ancillary spaces for clients IBM, Instacart, Albertsons, Spotter, DirecTV, and Medialink’s general meeting space and afterparty. Contributions: spatial design, 3D renders and 2D layouts, scenic design and development, environmental graphics, custom furniture design and construction drawings, rental furniture procurement, on-site construction administration, and styling.

Designed, curated, and managed construction for HBOMAX Barry Season 3 Premier. Grace Min worked on site surveys, design, and renderings. My duties included: environmental graphics, custom furniture design and construction drawings, rental furniture procurement, on-site construction administration, and styling.

Designed, curated, and managed construction for HBOMAX Winning Time Season 1 Premier. Contributions: layout work in CAD, scenic 3D design, modeling and setup renders, environmental graphics, custom furniture design and construction drawings, rental furniture procurement, on-site construction administration, and styling.

Updated the customer experience within the retail space (UX IRL) with the 3D Visual Merchandising team for Marcom (marketing). Duties included: researched analytics and worked with hardware, retail, and marketing teams to create consumer interaction with products in the retail space. Additionally, worked with fabrication team to engineer modular panel systems for future changes in the store bays.

Jack Morton’s CD, Lee and I were challenged to create “The Classroom of the Future” in a 40’x40’ space in the Hilton Hotel for SXSW for Education. We designed the space to accommodate sessions for the first day (like a classroom lecture hall), and demos for the second and third. The attendee was taken on a journey through three different creative and research spaces that can be easily implemented into existing classrooms today. The client was so ecstatic about the turnout of this project that she packed up everything to re-use in an upcoming Google EDU event. Contributions: working with CD to implement large stroke gestures into the physical space (3D modeling, 2D construction docs, decor selection, and styling).

A modern, Scando-Japanese inspired Oregon high desert oasis for those looking to get away from the typical, stuffy lodge environment. While at OMFGCO, I worked on the spatial layout, elevations, finish schedules, custom furniture and fixture pieces, and art moments in the public spaces (including the bar area, lounge, and reception desk), as well as the 13 different guest room types. Photos by Fritz Mesenbrink.

Stumptown Downtown was first built in 2003, and was in major need of an update. We took to solving their issues regarding customer flow, uneven sound, and general wear and tear (especially the bathrooms). It was important to give it a new feel, while still maintaining the Stumptown punk ethos. We  redesigned the bar (Kintsugi), hand selected local and vintage furniture, designed several custom pieces (including the tile rug and the snake coffee table), and made it rain tile, music, and lighting in the bathrooms. Photos by Travis Barron.

Located a few blocks off the Waikiki beach, this Hawaiian Modern hotel was built in the 1960's. Excluding the structural components of the existing hotel, we designed the spaces "from the ground up," including the 14 room types, custom furniture, wallpaper, FF&E selection, concierge, reception, restaurant, bar, pool, lanai, bathrooms, and art moments. The process was a heavy haul, to say the least, and we couldn't be happier with the outcome. Photos by Fritz Mesenbrink. 

The North Face came to us (SET Creative) to design their three level Flagship store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. We collaborated with product designers at The North Face to create an authentic, adaptable fixture and environmental design system that was literally built from the brand’s best materials. Contributions: space layout and concept design, leading junior designers, fixture design, and visual merchandising. Photos by Eugene Gologursky.

Coinciding with the 15th annual Jordan Brand Classic, this pop-up event took place in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood, across the street from the Barclays Center. Contributions: space layout design, custom fixture design, furniture selection / sourcing, and general on-site construction management.

Jordan Brand took over an old retail location in Downtown Toronto, and hired us (SET Creative) to gut the space and design a pop up event for All Star Week 2016. With retail on the main floor, and customization on the lower level, this event was the first time Jordan Brand stepped a physical foot onto Canadian soil. Contributions: space layout design, custom fixture design, furniture selection / sourcing, and general event help.

My friend John Guinn and I were asked by Hundred Waters to create a set for their performance during the Off The 405 at the Getty Museum in 2015. We were limited by the rock and roll trusses as supporting structure, and stage lights as colorful impact. Originally, we wanted to use a more rigid material, but budget constrained us. The installation ended up being a beautifully flowy back drop for smooth vocals and synthy tunes.

The Paper Pulp Pavilion, designed by Ben and Gaston, was a colorful, biodegradable shelter that lived on the Coachella Festival grounds for two weeks in 2015. Made up of 15,000 ft of jute, recycled paper, glue, pigment, and some structural plywood, it withstood the desert heat like a champ. Since this construction has no known precedents, we had to engineering the piece through many small-scale tests: including jute shrinkage/tension, pigment/paper/water/glue ratios, weight capacity, and fire tests. Photos by Chris Ball and Forster Rudolph.

Galleria Michela Rizzo invited Vito to share his previous works, as well as design a new piece for the Venice Biennale in 2013. For this event, I designed the floor plan layout, sought out, prepared, and shipped previous works to Venice. I also designed (alongside Vito), sourced materials for, and engineered a fabric projection installation, as well as coordinated construction of the exhibition.

The Ichihara Lakeside Museum in Chiba, Japan commissioned Vito to design a rooftop installation about a year prior. This project was abandoned due to material issues and some design flaws. I brought this project back to life and managed it through installation (budgeting, material selection / sourcing, and client correspondence) during my time at Acconci Studio in 2013.

Using simple materiality throughout this tiny Brooklyn brownstone, we designed a vessel for the movement through the color spectrum. On the street level lives a little three-chair hair salon, designed especially for one of the homeowners. For this project, I created physical and digital models, renders, and presentation and construction documents. Photos by Emile Dubuisson.

Joya Studio commissioned us to design a retail space within their Brooklyn candle production facility, merging elegance with industrial authenticity. Our design utilizes floating steel and wood surfaces to intertwine the scents and activities of the factory with the retail experience, reflecting Joya's fabrication processes. This balanced approach echoes Joya's molds, with rough exteriors facing the factory and refined interiors facing the retail space. My contribution: 3D modeling from sketches, renders, and construction documents.

Taylor and Miller was commissioned to design and build a minimal yet atypical bedroom furniture set. It consisted of a headboard, platform bed, credenza, and an armoire. Each piece had functional and nonfunctional crevasses, which resembled cornucopias when removed from their receptacle. We designed each “cornucopia” to have high buildability - flat surfaces, and feasibly connecting edges. The construction process was messy, but very to the point.

This residence in Western Massachusetts is warm and vulnerable toward the lake, meanwhile turning a modern, cold back toward the street. Each interior space is entirely different materiality-wise, imposing the popular cinematic “hard cut”. The clients were pleased with the form AND function of this home and its complex personality. For this project, I created physical models, renders, and presentation and construction documents. Photos by Emile Dubuisson.

SO-IL designed an environment that pushed the relationship between human and structure. Pole Dance is made up of a system of kinetic poles and nets which were responsive to human and environmental interaction. I assisted with the fabrication of this installation for the Summer Warm Up at MoMa PS1 in LIC, BK, NYC in 2010. The piece is made up entirely of off-the-shelf materials, and most of the parts have been repurposed since. Photographs by Iwan Baan.

Ball-Nogues studio designed a workspace reception desk for Edward Cella Art & Architecture, previously located across from LACMA. The desk was composed of cardboard pieces recycled from the remnants of a previous project, the RIP CURL Canyon. This object helps to distinguish public gallery space and private gallery employee space. I helped to construct and install this piece during my internship in LA in 2009. Photographs by Scott Mayoral.