As designers we are often tasked with redefining what a modern space feels like. With the lighting design approach for this 60,000 sq ft. high end amenities space, the design team was determined to recreate an abstract, yet natural feeling environment in this subterranean world. The team focused on illuminating the sweeping volumes with lighting guided by circadian rhythms. Lighting was carefully integrated into the undulating architectural expressions to create an organic and variable lighting scheme that felt both comfortable and bold. Indirect lighting of the 30’ tall diaphanous ceiling in the main atrium creates an uplifting and airy volume. Linear RGBW LED cove strips hidden within the branches of the fin structure uplight the high ceiling, allowing filtered bounce light to softly fill the space. As the light slowly shifts from the warm tones of sunrise to cooler daylight tones, the feeling of the entire space is transformed. Throughout a typical day, the colour temperature shifts from 2700k in the early morning, to 4500k by noon, then slowly back to 2400k at sunset to recreate a natural-feeling cycle of daylight.
A scale model was built to test the ceiling lighting approach. By installing a tiny LED tapelight in the cove uplight position to simulate the specified fixture, the design team was able to test fixture directionality and beamspread, as well as proper shielding and ceiling finish to ensure a clean and consistent installation detail.
Subtly contrasting accent lines of linear LEDs are integrated beneath the curving wooden circulation paths to create a sharply tailored look. Rather than a simple backlit slot, the lighting was detailed to fade in and out of the organic curves. The design team decided to go with a tiny double cove detail with 2 rows of flexible warm white LED tapelight to best highlight the hand-carved architectural forms. At the high ceiling, well-shielded static white downlights suspended within the flowing feature ceiling ensure that all pathways are well illuminated, no matter the colour or intensity level of the ceiling itself. Despite the grand scale of the space, there was a lot of importance placed on creating comfortable and intimate seating areas. The lighting design team incorporated low level lighting, such as glowing table lamps and an illuminated bar fascia to ensure there was adequate human scale lighting, while cooler white LED light strips carefully integrated with glass shelves at the back bar create a sparkly focal point.
In the adjacent amenity spaces, simple, refined lighting of bowling alley through a series of hidden cove lights creates a perfectly soft illumination. The design team collaborated with plant lighting specialists to create a sustainable underground garden. Workout spaces look out into the subtly shifting colour temperature of the central nexus, creating an open and airy environment, while promoting health and wellness through creative lighting design. Undulating cove lighting that highlights the curved fins coupled with an evenly grazed perimeter light create a perfect envelope, giving guests a dramatic view while providing the chance to find intimate moments.
