Simple. Elegant. Modern. Zen. Relaxing. Upscale. Sophisticated. Intimate. All words we heard when we were brought on to design a dinner party at The Barnes Foundation hosted by the Philadelphia Union in honor of this week’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game.

{Photos: Philadelphia Union and Susan Beard}

The Barnes Foundation is a true work of art, architecturally-speaking. Sure, there’s world class art arranged in unique, clever ways on every wall within, but the building itself is magnificent. So when hired to create a stylish dinner party in the main court of this incredible building, we reverted back to the original mission embraced by Tod Williams and Billies Tsien when they designed the space “intimate spaces, light-filled, open, clear, peaceful and functional.” Which, coincidentally, mirrored the exact words shared by our client for their event.