Design Spotlight: Convene 360 Madison Avenue

Location: Midtown Manhattan

Address: Convene 360 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 

Floors: 4, 5, and 6

Architect: Cook Fox

Convene lead designer: Emily Friedman

Full buyout capacity: 950 guests

Convene 360 Madison Avenue in New York City is one of our latest venues to undergo a full renovation and expansion, enhancing every aspect of the meetings and events experience. The location operated under the etc.venues brand before being redesigned and expanded into a Convene-branded venue this spring — a design refresh aimed to support increased client demand for event spaces in Midtown Manhattan and align with our anticipatory Convene brand standards. Today, the property spans a total of 68,000 square feet across three floors, accommodating up to 950 guests.

Convene designers Katie Timmerman and Emily Friedman reveal the complete design strategy for the Convene 360 Madison Avenue venue, detailing material selection and the influence of each element on the location's bold design.

About Convene 360 Madison Avenue

Left to right: The Gallery on Level 4 when operating under the etc.venues brand; The Gallery on Level 4 after being redesigned as Convene 360 Madison Avenue.

Initially launched under our sister brand, etc.venues operated the NYC meetings and events venue across floors four and five, connected by a central staircase. While the two floors underwent a significant renovation, we expanded to the sixth floor and brought all three levels under the Convene brand, addressing a substantial demand for larger event venues in Midtown Manhattan. Convene 360 Madison Avenue features 17 meeting rooms, including the Morgan Forum, which has the venue’s largest capacity at 330 guests and can be subdivided into three separate rooms via airwalls. Three gallery spaces on each floor are designed for networking and food breaks.

“By thoughtfully layering in our signature design elements, we infused the hospitality-forward experience that defines the Convene brand,” says Convene Vice President of Design Katie Timmerman. “The result is a carefully balanced design that honors the success of the original property by bringing our brand to life through an intentional and elevated design concept.”

Convene maintains a consistent design approach across all venues, applying a refined, proprietary typology to ensure a uniform standard for our venues and each room type based on size and use case. This consistency ensures a reliable experience while also meeting the needs and requests of both planners and attendees. Our approach also embraces a bespoke design narrative for each venue, allowing clients ample opportunity to personalize the space for their events.

About the designer

Convene Senior Associate of Design Planning Emily Friedman is an interior designer with approximately eight years of experience in both the corporate and hospitality industries. Friedman acted as lead designer on this transition project in partnership with boutique design firm Marlo & Kroft. At Convene, she has designed expansions, new construction, and design refresh projects across the brand’s global portfolio. Her work includes New York properties Convene 101 Park, Convene 117 W 46th Street, and now Convene 360 Madison Avenue. She also recently designed the conversion of an etc.venues property into Convene 200 Aldersgate, St. Paul’s in London.

Crafting the Convene 360 Madison Avenue design narrative

Left to right: Villard Studio on Level 4; South Gallery on Level 6 looking into the Gilbert Studio; Hemsley Hub on Level 6.

All of our locations start with the development of our design concept, which we call a “design narrative.” The narrative – inspired by the trifecta of the surrounding architectural context, experiential overlay, and cultural interjection – informs each design decision we make, as big as the floorplan layout and as small as an accessory that goes on a snack shelf. This is not merely a theoretical framework but a dynamic principle applied across all Convene locations, though its specific manifestation is tailored to each venue.

Our design narrative for Convene 360 Madison Avenue is called “Living Relic Revolutionized:” Madison Avenue is in many ways a living relic for the evolution of architectural styles and societal influence on New York City. The design at Convene 360 Madison celebrates the powerful essence of modernity, juxtaposed with historical architecture, and influenced by Midtown’s legacy of cultural innovation.

One of the first architects I worked with told me that we always need rules; the “Living Relic Revolutionized” design narrative is our set of rules for this venue. Let’s explore how these three foundational contexts contributed to bringing this property to life.

Architectural context: modern juxtaposition

Left to right: Exterior of Convene 360 Madison Avenue; Villard Houses built in the Gilded Age, by Gryffindor, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Every design narrative begins with a site overview that incorporates research into the building's location, including the history of the area and its surrounding architecture. Convene is located in 360 Madison Avenue, a contemporary glass skyscraper and Class A building. The streamlined facade is in conversation with other building styles on Madison Avenue, which exhibit how the approach to architecture has shifted over time.

The neighboring Grand Central Station displays classical Beaux-Arts symmetry. The New York Life Building, situated further down on Madison Avenue between 26th and 28th Streets, showcases Neo-Gothic embellishments as a skyscraper erected in the 1920s. Between 50th and 51st Streets, a group of Italian Renaissance townhouses, now known as the Villard Houses, is considered the epitome of New York’s brownstone architecture. Located directly opposite, St. Patrick's Cathedral is an example of Gothic Revival decadence thanks to a white marble facade, stained glass windows, and ornate twin spires.

The essence of our design narrative for Convene 360 Madison Avenue is a testament to this blend of influences, meticulously incorporating premium materials with a contemporary sensibility. A prime example of this integration can be observed in the detailed stonework at the Welcome Desk reception and the Nourish stations. These are not merely functional areas; they are points of interaction, designed to engage guests through tactile surfaces that convey a sense of grandeur and depth. The rich textures and intricate patterns of the marble and stone evoke a timeless elegance, simultaneously grounding the space in its historical context while presenting a modern approach.

At Convene 360 Madison Avenue, we created a dynamic environment that is both respectful of tradition and forward-thinking in its design. This duality ensures that the space is not only visually stunning but also deeply resonant with its surroundings, offering an experience that is both sophisticated and inviting.

Experiential overlay: Lotte New York Palace

Left to right: Hospitality is key to the Lotte New York Palace's success, courtesy @NewYorkPalace; Christmas tree outside the Lotte New York Palace, Anthony Quintano, .

Convene 360 Madison Avenue creates a contemporary, lavish environment inspired by the Lotte New York Palace, where high-end hospitality is unsurpassed. Hospitality is built into everything that we do. The Lotte New York Palace is a true icon among New York City’s luxury hotels for its exclusive experiences and tailored service. It also stands as a testament to architectural splendor and timeless design. A Madison Avenue jewel, the hotel was an expansion on the landmarked Villard Houses, first built in 1882 by a failing railroad magnate. The historic architecture weaves the elegance of old-world design with the comfort of a contemporary luxury retreat.

Inspired by the Lotte’s design approach, Convene 360 Madison Avenue also plays with proportion and scale to create an elevated environment. We used luxe materials for seating, fixtures, and design features to create a lavish atmosphere.

Consider the banquette seating area on Level 6, for example. Its deliberate combination of warm wood tones and captivating artwork doesn't just fill a space. This curated arrangement possesses an inherent magnetism, naturally attracting people to sit and collaborate. The rich texture of the wood provides a grounding element, while the artwork introduces a layer of visual interest and personality. Together, they create a compelling tableau that encourages lingering, conversation, and a deeper appreciation of the surroundings. It's in these subtle yet powerful vignettes that the essence of luxury — comfort, beauty, thoughtful design — is revealed.

Cultural injection: Advertising’s cultural revolution

Left to right: The Volkswagen Beetle's "lemon" ad campaign was so influential that it was immortalized by Andy Warhol. Credit: VW/DDB; Travelers cheques ad from December 1960 National Geographic, by Karen Horton, CC BY 2.0; Samsonite luggage ad in bold colors and images, Shwayder Bros. Inc., Luggage Division.

The cultural injection influences all of the furnishings, which include furniture, decor, art, and more. Convene 360 Madison Avenue’s cultural injection is driven by the bold transformation of Madison Avenue’s advertising “creative revolution.” In the mid-20th century, Madison Avenue became the epicenter of advertising innovation, revolutionizing how products and ideas were sold to the masses. The so-called “Mad Men” era shaped tastes and culture in the U.S. through memorable campaigns and slogans in the 1960s. Many of these campaigns are still recognizable today for their striking iconography and colors.

Convene 360 Madison Avenue embraces the bold, innovative nature of advertising through unexpected uses of color, dramatic lighting, and a dynamic use of texture and print. Pops of jewel tones frame doorways or act as a complement to a ceiling recess. We also worked with Riggs Art Consultants to curate a few artworks that evoke a modern interpretation of the striking colors and images from a ‘60s Mad Men era campaign. Our furniture is also quite modern to accommodate the needs of meeting and event planners with infusions of bold, vibrant color and rounded curves for a fresh take on 1960s decor.

Elements of design

Marble Stonework

Left to right: The Nourish station is open to guests for drinks and snacks throughout their visit.; Green marble with dramatic veining up close.

We always include a stone on the Nourish station, per our design typology, where guests can grab healthy snacks, coffee, and other drinks throughout the day. Larger venues, like Convene 360 Madison Avenue, offer more customization options for clients, particularly regarding the ability to include branding at Nourish stations. The Nourish plays an important role in upholding the standards of quality and aesthetics for our brand. As a designer, there are certain elements where I didn’t want to compromise.

This marble stood out as special to us when we looked through samples. We evaluated the different color combinations, textures, and natural veining or marbling. We visited a stone yard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn — a design consultant from Marlo & Kroft and I — to make sure we wanted this specific marble when we saw a large slab up close. Going to the stone yard is super fun; it’s the best. You have to keep an open mind since every stone has distinct characteristics, and they can’t guarantee specific sizes or quantities.

The deep forest green was integral to our overall color palette, bringing the right amount of depth and contrast, especially when considering our other materials. We are intentionally incorporating a spectrum of deep jewel tones, serving as bold interjections of color that draw inspiration from the equally audacious advertisements from the 1960s. This deep green is complemented with super light plaster, our standard oak, and a collection of warmer tones, achieving a balance of vibrancy and subtlety. Within this narrative, the green marble emerges as the jewel of the Nourish, offering compelling textural and visual interest that elevates the overall design.

Portal language

To distinguish the entrances to our main meeting rooms, such as the Hemsley Hub and Morgan Forum, we developed a "portal language." We aimed to create a sense of transition between the gallery and the meeting room by painting the doors a striking blue and using bold, tactile wall coverings. This blue gloss paint is also featured on the back walls of the Hubs and in the elevator lobbies, creating a vibrant effect throughout the venue.

Whenever our design team talks about finishes, we meet up in person to see everything. We specifically chose a saturated royal blue with a high gloss after looking at so many different colors. We sat with multiple blues within our palette just to make sure we were choosing the right shade. There are a lot of blues to choose from: Do we go more teal? Do we go more royal? Going more teal leads us towards the 1970s opposed to our cultural inspiration from the ‘60s “Mad Men” era, when rich jewel tones and Yves Klein’s intense ultramarine were popular. Convene’s saturated royal blue also complements the accents of red gloss paint to bring in opulence and highlight the curated vignettes.

Custom banquettes

Left to right: Banquette seat creates an inviting vignette in the Level 6 South Gallery; Example of banquette seating designed by the Convene team to evoke the feeling of home.

What's interesting about Convene 360 Madison Avenue is that it's one of the first properties where we prototyped custom furniture. The banquette seating consists of individual modules that we designed custom to mimic a high-end sofa. This was a creative solution to get the exact look we wanted and to standardize some of our furniture pieces across our portfolio.

Functionality was a big driver, and then aesthetic-wise, we wanted Convene 360 Madison Avenue to feel like an upscale home where you would want to luxuriate in the space. To ensure our vision for the plush seating met our quality and aesthetic standards, we reviewed drawings and finishes to match the modern color palette in our design narrative, then went to the local manufacturer in Pennsylvania to see these prototypes.

It felt special to us that these pieces are also movable, instead of a fixed piece of millwork that we've done in the past. Event planners and other clients hosting in our venue often request the flexibility to adapt our rooms to fit a variety of events. Furniture that can be reconfigured and removed is our way to anticipate needs as hospitality providers. We really put a lot of heart and soul into the furnishings. Now we're trying to deploy them across our new properties. The finishes also fit into the modern palette of our design narrative, so they are a bit bolder and inject color into the galleries.

Accent lighting

Left to right: Pendant light fixtures on Level 4 Gallery in Convene 360 Madison Avenue; Flush mount lights above the stairwell on Level 5.

All of the lights in the venue are custom-designed, with varying lengths for domes and pendants to create visual interest and adapt to each room. For example, an "eclipse" feature in the ceiling, originally lit prior to the renovation, has been repainted with high-gloss red paint to act as a focal point. Pendant dome fixtures add to the eye-catching feature and the grandiosity of the large dining and reception area.

The dome lights, present on all three floors, feature a unique shape and are made of a specific brass material chosen for its opulent appearance. It adds a sense of wonder and draws the eye upward. On Level 6, in the meeting rooms, guests may notice a beautiful brass fixture when they look up. A mirrored finish was considered but rejected for the meeting rooms due to its ability to be distracting. Ultimately, a brushed brass finish was selected to maintain the desired opulence without being intrusive.

While we were unable to modify the meeting room lighting on other floors, we successfully integrated the dome light design into the Level 5 gallery: The flush-mount fixtures seamlessly enhance the existing ceiling pop-up, a testament to our adaptable custom engineering for this bespoke architectural space. Despite existing limitations, the core design narrative remains strong.

Convene 360 Madison is ready for your next conference and event

Convene 360 Madison features 17 meeting spaces across three floors, making it the ideal venue for your next conference, company town hall, or planning meeting. This white box space allows for extensive client and event branding opportunities and includes in-house catering and technology resources. Reach out to our meetings and events experts to learn more about hosting your next gathering in New York City.