Lighting in Design Q3 2019

I nternational N ews

Lighting installation at Mandarin Oriental Jumeira fuses craftsmanship with technology

and two large. The hundreds of leaves are made from hand-blown Bohemian crystal, in two shapes, each in two sizes.The trunks aremade from slumped glass and have a champagne matte finish. A special foil finish was added behind the glass of the trunks that not only dis- tributes the light equally, but also provides a softer glow. Canopy of Light is especially programmed to pro- duce three different effects: a day scene, a night scene, and then every hour, the lights ‘move’ through the trees. These scenes create motions through the installation, including a downward movement of light through the trunk (hourly), a sparkling effect (night time) and a mo- tion that looks as though the wind is blowing through the leaves (day time). All lights, around 500% size (small, medium, large), can be addressed individually. This means a different light effect can be programmed to each tree size and not necessarily the ‘forest’ as a whole. “What we are seeing in the Mandarin Oriental Ju- meira, which features the Canopy of Light installation prominently in its lobby, is setting a new standard in the luxury hospitality field,” says Martin Fryzelka, manag- ing director, Preciosa Gulf. “The Middle East is a very competitive market and hotels, restaurants and cultural spaces are always looking for something outstanding to make themselves memorable, and to stand out from the competition. Dynamic and interactive lighting installations not only bring something extraordinary to a space, but they also create opportunities for people to connect with each other and with the venue.”

The idea of Canopy of Light originated with Design- Wilkes. Principal designer, Jeffrey Wilkes and design director, Sirajul Fahmi, happened to be in Dubai when the forest trees were in bloom. The orange blossoms captured their imagination and gave them their initial inspiration. Canopy of Light fits in with their overall concept for the hotel – the Dubai Riviera. The lobby unites the front of the hotel to the beach side, com- plete with a crystal garden of dynamic trees. The styling of the trees is contemporary, with a strong focus on the canopy. Its Art Deco approach mimics fine jewellery. DesignWilkes also wanted to incorporate the idea of blown crystal and the lighting effect programmed in. It is symbolic of leaves blowing naturally through the air. The hotel’s proximity to the beach influenced the design. DesignWilkes deliberately avoided coloured light, instead opting to replicate the silver sparkle of the water through clear crystal leaves.The design team also added a sand-coloured travertine floor to the lobby, like a sandy beach. The canopy should serve as a welcom- ing, sheltering space that guests will want to relax in. Daniel Sipula, Preciosa project manager, coordinated the creation of the installation at the firm’s factory in Crystal Valley in the Czech Republic, aligning it with the design intent of DesignWilkes. “With such a large project, it’s interesting to note that the way the trees looked in the first sketch com- pared to the how they looked installed in the lobby did not change all that much. DesignWilkes was confident

of what they want- ed and we were able to produce the trees to their satisfaction,” says Sipula. “Throughout the project, which lasted over two years, I really appre- ciated the fact that this was designed as a luxury project and that overall vi- sion was achieved. I believe this is one of the most mag- nificent projects we have done.” Canopy of Light features 14 trees in three sizes: six small, six medium

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LiD Q3 - 2019