A celebration of lighting, water, and art was envisioned for this hotel located along the Chao Phraya River.
The lighting design amplifies the presence of the magnificent river, with the play of light and reflections in water features weaving throughout the property. We sought to create sophisticated and calm outdoor lighting ambiance. Great attention was paid in lighting several large-scale outdoor art installations. Working closely with the local artist, bespoke lighting solutions were devised for each installation.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a carefully composed scene. Beyond walls highlighted by uplighting, they see a sculptural tree flanked by a pair of gold art cabinets. Concealed linear grazers create an upward glow from the bases of the cabinets, highlighting colour and texture. Small spotlights, discreetly hidden on the roof canopy, provide dramatic punch to the cabinets’ mid-sections. Soft uplighting is applied to the sculptural tree’s canopy and spotlights hidden in its foliage light down to the surrounding planter.
Encircling the driveway, concealed uplighting subtly highlights curving walls lined with lush bamboo; this continuous illuminated green backdrop provides both atmosphere and visual safety.
At the hotel entrance, groups of small downlights are arranged in the gold roof canopy, creating a ‘welcome mat’ of light below.
Lighting with high colour rendering above CRI 90 is used to enhance the vibrancy of materials and landscape elements. 2700K lighting complements the richness of gold while 3000K highlights greenery.
The interior and landscape lighting schemes were considered together to a form a cohesive experience celebrating beautiful reflections. Being crucial to the exterior night-time expression, the interior lighting approach had to be highly controlled. To create reflections free of ‘hotspots’ and light flares, it was an important consideration to keep ceilings as pristine as possible. Decorative lights and uplighting serve as key methods providing ambient light, gently illuminating wall and ceiling surfaces which are then reflected in water. When necessary, downlights are deployed sparingly to highlight furniture and art, and chosen to be discreet and low-glare.
Water features surrounding the interior spaces are kept dark and reflective to mirror spaces and landscape elements. This also allowed for several spectacles to be experienced in the landscaped areas.
At the arrival pond, large feature trees are generously illuminated and cast beautiful reflections while large pieces of dark, shiny feature pebbles are not directly illuminated but left to gleam mysteriously in water.
Outside the bar, discreet downlighting provide soft illumination to the outdoor circulation and feathery long grass along the water’s edge. Seen across the pond, lighting in landscaping, circulation corridors and bar interiors form a layered view.
An art installation made of red wavy metal hovers over an outdoor lounge. Column mounted spotlighting grazes across the undulating surfaces of the installation. This shimmering effect seems to ripple and swirl as one moves around the installation and it is amplified by its reflections in the surrounding water.
Decorative lights are important to the lighting scheme, and we directed the lighting behaviour of every piece. Light sources are of low wattage and concealed carefully, so as not to distract from fixtures themselves. Bespoke outdoor lanterns were designed with subtle curving tips as a nod to traditional Thai architecture.
