Hospitality Lighting - Summer 2008 - (Page 9)

Creative custom lighting enhances the unlikely juxtaposition of nature and Gothic architecture at The Cove Atlantis resort. By Conor O’Toole n exotic, tropical island, with its warm, salty breezes and white hot sand beaches, is a seemingly odd choice for the location of a Gothic cathedral, even if its clientele is more bronzed vacationer than religious devotee. But, as guests of The Cove—the newest property at Paradise Island, Bahamas’ Atlantis resort—will attest, the tropical environs provide a playful canvas for the allure of oldworld luxury. It is precisely this extraordinary juxtaposition that earned the design team from Jeffrey Beers Intl. two Gold Key awards in 2007—one for The Cove’s vaulted lobby and reception area and the other for its luxurious bar, the Sea Glass Lounge. “The property is very much an integration of nature and architecture,” says Jeffrey Beers, principal of Jeffrey Beers Intl. The Cove, which opened in March 2007, underscores this duality with the successful pairing of subtle and dramatic lighting positioned throughout the property. A The Grand Lobby At the entrance to the resort, guests must promenade through “the cathedral,” a breathtaking, open-air walkway stretched out beneath a 40-foot, vaulted wood ceiling, supported by French limestone columns on either side. Partial teak walls let sunlight filter in through a band of empty space just below the roof, while the unshuttered windows below the partitions grant patrons access to sea views, as well as refreshing ocean breezes. Though artificial light plays a supporting role during the day, illumination becomes increasingly important during the evening hours and at night. So much so, in fact, that the design team from Jeffrey Beers Intl. and lighting designer David Singer of Arc Light Design worked together to custom-design each and every decorative fixture featured throughout the building. Along the length of the ceiling, hovering almost weightlessly over the narrow center aisle, a series of 15-foot-long woven copper fabric pendants command a majestic presence. Each is equipped with multiple clusters of four 60W incandescent traffic lamps, and the fixtures are controlled by dimmers set low to create a romantic, glittery glow. “The lighting is candle-like,” Beers says. “The magic next to fire, an open flame—that kind of thing is what inspired us.” While this luminous effect enhances the reverential, cathedral quality of the room, the pendants’ oblong design is reminiscent of wind chimes—a nod to the relaxing, tropical locale in which the hotel resides. At ground level, the room is no less atmospheric as five square marble benches line up along the center aisle. Part resting spot, part decorative fountain, each has a raised marble block in its center. Water wells up from within these blocks and runs along the surface, while continuous, submersible LED striplights illuminate the water in various rainbow hues. Sky-blue in the morning, these aqueous stools become magenta by nightfall, providing a warmer, more intimate feel. SUMMER 2008 | HOSPITALITY LIGHTING 9

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Hospitality Lighting - Summer 2008 Contents Host Station Tips Sun Worship Peak Experience Amenities Express Checkout

Hospitality Lighting - Summer 2008

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