LUME Studios FAQ: Inside the Space, the System, and How We Actually Work

The best way to understand what we do at LUME Studios is to come in and see the space for yourself. But before you do, here are the real answers to the questions we get asked most before a walkthrough.

If your question is not here, email hello@lumestudios.com or call (212) 203-3732 and a real person will respond within one business day.

The Walkthrough

What does a walkthrough at LUME actually look like?

You enter through the storefront at 393 Broadway, see the marquee from the inside, then we run the immersive system for you live. We move through the Immersive Studio on the main floor, down to the Basement Lounge with its screen wall, and up through the building to Loft 4, the fourth-floor private kitchen and dining room. The full walk usually takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on how technical the conversation goes.

Photos and videos genuinely do not do the system justice. Every client we have ever brought in has had the same reaction the moment the system fires up: their eyes light up. That is the entire reason walkthroughs are free.

How do I book a walkthrough?

Email hello@lumestudios.com or call (212) 203-3732. We respond within one business day. You can also reach the team through our contact page.

Do I need to book in advance, or can I walk in?

Walkthroughs are by appointment. We run events nearly every week, so the space is sometimes mid-build or mid-load-out. A scheduled visit means you see the room in its showcase state with the system running, not under tarps and ladders.

Can my client come too?

Yes. Agency-led walkthroughs are common. Most of our brand activation work comes in through agencies bringing clients in, and we are used to running the room for whoever is in it. Tell us who is coming and what they care about and we adjust the tour accordingly.

Can I do a virtual walkthrough if I am not in New York?

Yes. We run live video walkthroughs over Zoom or Google Meet for out-of-town teams. It is not a substitute for seeing the system in person, but it is enough to scope a project, see the spaces, and decide whether a flight to New York is worth it.

The Space and the Building

Where exactly is LUME?

393 Broadway, between Walker and White Streets, at the intersection of SoHo and Tribeca in downtown Manhattan. Two subway stops are within a few blocks. The block is wide enough for a 53-foot trailer.

How big is the venue?

5,400 square feet across five levels. The main Immersive Studio is 3,400 sq ft (main floor plus Basement Lounge), Loft 4 is 2,000 sq ft, and the upper lofts are flex space for green rooms, holding, and production support. See the full venue page for a level-by-level breakdown.

What is the building itself like?

Iconic cast iron from 1867. Original tin ceilings. The bones of the building are part of the experience. The contrast between a 19th-century cast iron loft and a 21st-century immersive system is intentional, not accidental.

What are the different spaces and how do they get used?

Five levels, each with a different role:

• Immersive Studio (main floor): turnkey white-box space with the 360-degree projection system, the street-level storefront entry, and the customizable marquee. The main event floor.
• Basement Lounge: a low-lit companion space with 18 customizable screens. Used as a VIP lounge, a back-of-house production zone, or a second activation area. Always rents with the main floor.
• Loft 4: fourth-floor cast iron loft with a full Michelin-caliber chef's kitchen, exposed brick, dining tables, and a 4K display. Used for private dinners, executive meetings, podcasts, and intimate brand events.
• Upper lofts: additional building floors used for green rooms, talent holding, storage, and production support.

How many people can it hold?

The Immersive Studio holds up to 200 standing or 120 seated. Loft 4 holds 40 seated or 70 standing. Full building takeovers across all floors push the practical headcount higher, but we always advise against over-inviting. The best activations we have produced have consistently been 50 to 75 people, not 200. Smaller, more curated guest lists outperform larger ones almost every time.

Is it ADA accessible?

The main floor and Basement Lounge are accessible. Upper floors are reached by stairs and a freight elevator. Tell us if you have specific accessibility needs and we will walk you through what works and what does not before you commit.

What are the ceiling heights?

16 ft in the main Immersive Studio. 12 ft in the Basement Lounge. Loft 4 has standard loft-height ceilings with exposed structural beams. Heights matter for projection geometry, rigging, and tall installations.

Is there a green room?

Yes. The upper loft floors function as talent holding, glam, and green room spaces. Closed off from guests, with their own access. For events with multiple talent or large crews we can dedicate an entire floor.

The Immersive System

What makes the LUME system different from other venues that claim 360-degree projection?

The integration. We have spent ten years combining 18 projectors, a 17-speaker JBL spatial audio system, RGB Astera spotlights, and a programmable lighting and content pipeline so they run as one unified environment, not four separate systems pretending to talk to each other. Four projectors aimed at one wall is not 360-degree projection mapping. We broke this down in detail in our post on what real immersive systems look like.

What software runs the system?

TouchDesigner, Resolume Arena, and Max/MSP, with custom pipelines we have built and refined since 2016. Computer vision and generative AI tools are layered in where they belong, not pasted on as a marketing label. We are honest about which parts of the system are AI-driven and which are not, and the walkthrough is where that conversation gets concrete.

What consistently surprises people when they see the system running?

Two things. First, the scale: guests assume "immersive" means a screen on a wall and instead find themselves standing inside the visual. Second, the coherence: audio, lighting, and projection are programmed to move together as a single piece, not three departments doing their own thing.

Can the system play a custom video for our brand?

Yes, but that is the floor of what it can do, not the ceiling. We can also build a fully custom 360-degree environment from your brand assets, generate one from a brief, or run a real-time generative system that responds to the room. The walkthrough is the fastest way to understand the range.

Can the projection respond to people moving in the room?

Yes. We use computer vision and audience-tracking systems for reactive environments. Crowd movement, position, and density can drive what plays back. This is real, in-production work, not concept-stage.

Does the system work for video and photo shoots, or only events?

Both. The Immersive Studio doubles as a music video and production studio and has been used for content featuring Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, and Burna Boy. The same system that creates an immersive event environment makes for a one-of-a-kind backdrop for camera.

Brand Assets and Custom Content

What format do you need brand assets in?

MOV, MP4, JPEG, PNG, and most standard formats are fine. We can also work from After Effects projects, Premiere exports, Cinema 4D files, and Unreal scenes. If you do not have assets yet, we can build the environment from scratch, even from just a brief.

What if we do not have visual assets ready?

We build them. Our in-house creative team produces custom 360-degree content from a brief, mood board, brand guidelines, or just a conversation. About a third of the events we run are built this way. We have produced everything from generative botanical worlds for Bai to tabletop projection mapping for Roku executive dinners. See the Bai x Sydney Sweeney case study and the Roku tabletop projection breakdown for examples.

How long does custom content take to build?

Depends on complexity. A branded environment built from existing brand assets can come together in two to three weeks. A fully generative real-time system or a content piece with heavy 3D builds takes four to eight weeks. The earlier you book, the more time we have to push the creative further.

Will our content render at full quality?

Yes. The system runs the entire 360-degree environment at full resolution across every projector, with no perceptible drop in fidelity from corner to corner. Resolution, color profile, and frame rate are all built into the pipeline.

Who owns the content after the event?

You do. Anything we build for your brand is yours to keep, reuse, repurpose, and run again. The content lives well beyond event night, which is part of why brand activations at LUME keep producing value for weeks after the guests have left.

Can you work from a brief and concept on your own?

Yes. Most agencies arrive with a brief and want us to add immersive elements. Many brands arrive with no creative concept at all and want us to develop one. Both are normal. The services page lays out where creative responsibility sits in each model.

Load-In and Production

What is the load-in like?

Street-level access through the storefront at 393 Broadway. The block accommodates trucks up to 53 feet. We have an interior freight elevator for upper floors. Standard load-in window for a Friday or Saturday event is the morning of, but for larger productions we build in load-in days the day before. Production briefs always confirm timing.

Can I get in early to set up?

Yes. The standard rental includes a 12-hour block which covers setup, event, and breakdown. If you need more setup time we add hours on either side. Overnight holds are possible and need to be priced into the proposal.

What is the minimum booking?

Twelve hours. That is the standard block. We do not do hourly bookings on the main floor because real production setup does not fit into a few hours.

Do you have power for large production?

Yes. The building has dedicated production power throughout, and we know where every circuit lives. The kind of detail that matters when you are running a 200-guest activation with lighting, projection, audio, live capture, and demo stations simultaneously.

Can we rig from the ceiling?

Yes. The Immersive Studio has rigging points and the upper structure to handle scenic, lighting, and signage installations. Bring your rigging plot to the walkthrough or send it ahead so we can confirm what works.

Do you have Wi-Fi strong enough for live streaming?

Yes. Hardwired ethernet and fast Wi-Fi throughout the building. We have run live streams to press, internal company audiences, and platform launches without dropouts. If a particular event needs a guaranteed-bandwidth bonded line, we set it up in advance.

Do you handle staffing?

Yes. Production crew, AV operators, security, and event coordination are all available in-house. For larger activations we also coordinate with the client's preferred staffing agencies (door, brand ambassadors, photographers, talent handlers) and integrate them into the run-of-show.

Catering, Bar, and Hospitality

Can we bring our own caterer?

Yes. Loft 4 has a full Michelin-caliber kitchen built with input from Michelin-star chefs. You can bring your preferred chef, your in-house culinary team, or work with one of our trusted catering partners. We are not a venue that locks you into a single caterer.

Do you have an in-house chef program?

We host curated dinners on the fourth floor and have a roster of chefs we work with regularly. For brand dinners and private events we can match a chef to your event style, dietary requirements, and budget. The kitchen is fully outfitted for prep, plating, and service on-site.

Can you handle bar service?

Yes. Full bar capabilities ranging from non-alcoholic service (water, sodas, juices) up to a premium open bar with top-shelf spirits, beer, wine, and named signature cocktails. The LUME quote tool walks through bar tier options, and pricing scales with package, guest count, and event length. Cocktails can be branded around the event. Bombay Sapphire and Don Julio activations are two recent examples.

Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, and allergy-driven menus are all standard. Talk to us early in the planning so the chef can build around it.

What about a coffee bar or non-alcoholic service?

Standard. Coffee service, espresso bars, mocktail bars, and curated non-alcoholic programs are all options. Increasingly common for daytime brand activations, press previews, and morning press events.

Do you charge corkage?

Bring-your-own-product structures are case-by-case. Our standard model is for the bar tier to include product, ice, mixers, and staffing as one package. If a brand wants to feature their own spirits (common with liquor sponsors), we build the activation around it.

Booking, Pricing, and Timing

How far in advance should I book?

For weekday events, two to four weeks is workable. For Fashion Week, holiday season (mid-November through end of December), and major brand activation windows, three to six months out is typical. Specific high-demand dates can book a year ahead. If your date is tight, ask anyway. Sometimes we have a slot.

How does pricing work?

Venue rental, AV, catering, bar, custom content, staffing, and content capture are each priced as line items on a custom proposal. We do not publish a one-size-fits-all sticker price because no two events at LUME look the same. We walk you through every line item during your walkthrough so you understand exactly what each piece of the production costs and why.

Why do you not list flat venue prices?

Because flat venue pricing is the wrong frame for what we do. An immersive event is a production, not a rental. The same room hosting a 60-person executive dinner with tabletop projection mapping and a four-course tasting menu costs very differently from a 200-person product launch with branded marquee, custom 360-degree environment, full bar, and same-day content capture. Quoting them the same number would either overcharge the dinner or undercharge the activation.

What is included in the standard rental?

A 12-hour time block, the venue itself, base AV and projection support, on-site coordination, and our standard immersive system running ambient content. Bar, catering, custom content, additional staffing, content capture, and production extras are added based on your event.

Do you require a deposit?

Yes. Standard event terms include a deposit to hold the date and a balance due before the event. Specific terms are written into the contract for your event and we walk you through them before signing.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellation terms are written into the contract for your event and depend on how far in advance you cancel. The team will walk through the specific terms with you before you sign. We treat real conflicts (illness, weather, force majeure) with judgment rather than a script.

Do you do holds before contract?

Yes. Soft holds and first-rights-of-refusal are standard practice. If a date is critical, ask for a hold while you assemble the rest of your plan.

The Marquee and the Storefront

Is the marquee real, and can we use it?

Yes. The marquee is a customizable street-facing display on Broadway, programmable for your event. You can run brand-forward messaging, a campaign tagline, animated content, or use it as the arrival moment for guests walking up. It reads from the street, including from cars and crowds.

What can we put on it?

Text, graphics, animations, brand visuals. There are practical readability limits (three lines, up to roughly 36 characters per line for legibility from the street) and our team helps you design content that lands.

Does the storefront entry get included in the experience?

Yes. The street-level storefront is the arrival moment and we build the experience around it. Custom projection on the entrance, branded step-and-repeats, queue management for guest arrival, and crowd-energy moments before guests cross the threshold. Arrival is where the event begins, not where it ends.

Is the marquee visible at night?

Yes. It is bright, sharp, and built for night visibility from Broadway. It reads in daylight too, but the night look is the showcase.

Can we get press photos of the marquee with our brand on it?

Yes. Our content team captures the marquee as part of post-event delivery. Brand-forward marquee photos are some of the most-shared content from any activation at LUME.

Full Building Takeovers

Can we take over the entire building?

Yes. Full building takeovers across all five levels are one of the most common formats for major brand activations and large corporate moments. Each floor takes on a distinct role: arrival and main event downstairs, VIP and lounges in the basement, private dining and intimate activations on the fourth floor, talent and production support on the upper lofts.

What does that look like in practice?

Different brand experiences on different floors with a connecting through-line. Product reveal in the Immersive Studio, a tasting room or chef's table experience in Loft 4, a VIP cocktail moment in the Basement Lounge, and a press capture station between them. Guests move through chapters of the event instead of standing in one room for three hours.

Are there events where takeover is not the right move?

Yes. Smaller activations and most corporate dinners actually land better on a single floor with focused energy. The takeover model serves events where movement, discovery, and chapter-based pacing are part of the design. We will tell you which model fits your brief.

Can we run different programming simultaneously across floors?

Yes. Activations with parallel programming, say a panel discussion on the main floor while a tasting menu runs upstairs and a press capture is set up in the basement, are something we have done many times.

The Agency Side

Is LUME just a venue?

No. We are a full-service experiential agency that happens to own one of the most technically advanced immersive event facilities in New York. Concept development, creative direction, venue sourcing (including venues outside LUME), production management, vendor coordination, custom content, photo and video capture, and post-event delivery are all in-house. See our full services page.

Do we have to do production through you, or can we use our own?

Both work. Some clients use our full production stack end-to-end. Others bring their own creative agency and use LUME as the venue and immersive system only. The model depends on what the agency or brand team already has in-house. We are honest about where our work adds the most value and where it would just be a markup, which is unfortunately not the norm in this industry.

Have you worked with major brands?

Yes. Amazon, Adidas, Nike, JetBlue, Dropbox, Roku, Patrick Ta Beauty, Olay, TRESemmé, Chase Bank, Bombay Sapphire, Don Julio, Bai, Apple, New York Fashion Week. Over 1,600 events in ten years. See the work page for examples.

Have you worked with major talent?

Yes. Productions and activations involving Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Burna Boy, Sydney Sweeney, 50 Cent, Peggy Gou, Don Toliver, Metro Boomin, and Fabolous, among many more. Our team is used to working with talent teams, security, and high-profile guest experience standards.

Can you act as the venue and we keep our agency?

Yes. This is a common setup. Your agency leads creative and producing, LUME provides the venue, the immersive system, and the technical execution behind it. We work with agencies as partners, not as competitors.

Will you do video capture and same-day content delivery?

Yes. Multi-camera capture, professional audio, live streaming, and same-day post-event content delivery are standard. Brands get assets within hours, not weeks, so the social and press window stays open while the event is still in the news cycle.

Can you produce events outside LUME?

Yes. Off-site productions are part of our service offering. If your brief needs a different venue or a city other than New York, we have an off-site production model that uses the same creative and technical team.

Events We Host

These are the categories that come up most often in inquiries. Each links to a dedicated page with more detail.

Brand Activations

Product launches, influencer events, press previews, experiential marketing campaigns, brand pop-ups. The main reason most agencies bring us their clients. Brand Activation Venue NYC.

Corporate Events and Offsites

Executive dinners, investor presentations, product reveals, milestone celebrations, team offsites, client entertainment. Corporate Offsite Spaces NYC.

Private Dining

Loft 4's fourth-floor cast iron loft with full chef's kitchen. Curated dinners, executive hosting, intimate brand dinners. Tabletop projection mapping available for the dinners that need to be unforgettable. Private Dining NYC.

Tech Product Launches

Demo stations, hands-on zones, branded reveals, press capture, live streaming. Past launches include Amazon, Dropbox, Roku, and JetBlue. Tech Product Launch Venue NYC.

Music Industry Events

Album release parties, listening events, music video production, press days, artist activations. Music Industry Event Space NYC and Album Release Party Venue NYC.

Fashion Shows and Beauty Activations

Runway productions, fashion presentations, beauty brand reveals, lookbook shoots, NYFW activations. Fashion Show Venue NYC and Beauty Brand Activation Space NYC.

Birthday Parties and Private Celebrations

Custom immersive environments built around the guest of honor, AI-generated visuals, full production. Not the typical NYC birthday venue. Birthday Party Venue NYC.

Holiday and Year-End Parties

Corporate holiday programming, year-end client appreciation events, milestone celebrations. Booking window starts in late summer. Holiday Party Venue NYC.

Press Events and Panel Discussions

Press previews, panel programming, fireside chats, editorial events with branded backdrops. Press Event Space NYC and Panel Discussion Venue NYC.

Photo and Video Production

Music videos, commercials, editorial shoots, content captures using the immersive system as a backdrop. Photo Studio Rental NYC, Film Studio NYC, and Production Studio NYC.

Workshops, Meetings, and Pop-Ups

Hands-on workshops, all-hands meetings, day-long offsites, retail pop-ups. Workshop Space NYC, Meeting and Presentation Spaces NYC, and Pop-Up Venue NYC.

Immersive Dining and Poker Nights

Tabletop projection mapping dinners, themed nights, hosted poker programming in Loft 4. Immersive Dining Venue NYC and Poker Night Venue NYC.

Still have questions?

Most of them get answered the moment you walk in. The walkthrough is free, the system runs live, and we can tell you within 30 minutes whether LUME is the right space for what you are planning. And if it is not, we will point you toward something that is.

Come see the space for yourself. Book a free walkthrough.

Email: hello@lumestudios.com or call (212) 203-3732