Architecture and engineering firm McKissack & McKissack celebrated its 20th anniversary on Thursday night with a rooftop dinner at the Potomac View Terrace atop the American Pharmaceutical Association building for 200 of its clients, employees, partners, and local political figures. The company worked with Events by André Wells to find the unique venue and design the evening.
“I wanted something overlooking the city and preferably the monuments, since we’ve worked on them,” said Deryl McKissack, president and C.E.O. of the firm, who noted its participation in the restoration of the Lincoln Memorial and creation of the Martin Luther King Memorial. “We can see several projects from the rooftop [of the A.P.A. building], and that’s something a lot a people haven’t been able to experience.”
Though rain forced the cocktail reception to move from the patio to inside the building lobby, the rooftop had been tented to ensure the dinner could be set as planned, no matter the weather. With inspiration from McKissack, André Wells took an unconventional approach to seating, arranging two long tables with 100 place settings. “I wanted something unconventional and different that would have an impact, and nothing is more impactful than a long table, so when [he] suggested that to me, I agreed,” said McKissack.
Stone gray linens covered the tables, which Amaryllis topped with clusters of three centerpieces combining green hydrangeas, dark pink, purple, and maroon roses, and large green leaves. Tall vases of floating votives and purple uplighting around the perimeter of the space added ambience after the sun set behind the Capitol, which could be seen from roof.
Throughout the two-course meal from Occasions Caterers, guests watched a 10-minute video of the company’s history and growth over the past 20 years, followed by a few remarks from McKissack. In a separate section of the rooftop, Wells created an after-hours lounge filled with purple velvet sofas and club chairs accented by silver pillows. Here, Occasions set up a dessert of mini peach and apple pies, passion-fruit and raspberry tartlets, pirouette cookies, and other small treats.
