The design is guided by three core themes: Theatrical, Eclectic, and Textures & Tones. Theatricality is employed to guide the guest’s journey, using techniques of aiming, focus, and dimming to direct views and create moments of discovery. The lighting reveres the hotel’s eclectic collection of art, carefully choosing which pieces to accent and which to leave in shadow. This approach enhances the rich materials and warm colour palette selected by the interior design team, creating a visually stimulating environment.
Innovation is found in the masterful layering of warmth and intensity. A key strategy was establishing a visual hierarchy through a very warm colour temperature of 2400K in the general hotel lobby for all directional lighting in the ceiling and within joinery, as well as colour tunable indirect ceiling lighting to provide variation throughout the day and in different settings. A slightly cooler 2700K colour temperature was used in the highly reflective bodega, while decorative and feature elements were left to express their variety of hues as necessitated by their very bespoke nature. These subtle distinctions create tangible depth and enhance intimacy. This was achieved using technologies including high-CRI adjustable spotlights and linear LEDs seamlessly integrated into architectural details like ceiling coves and joinery, making the light feel inherent to the structure.
While meeting all Australian Standards for daytime function, the design’s success lies in its dramatic departure from them for evening ambience. Light levels are significantly lowered at night to create the desired mood, prioritising the guest experience over rigid illuminance targets. The extensive use of adjustable luminaires and a sophisticated dimming control system provides ultimate flexibility, allowing for multiple scenes—from bright daytime check-in to moody evening cocktails—and enabling the hotel to easily reconfigure lighting for new art or furniture layouts.
A primary challenge was the meticulous integration of hidden light sources within the bespoke architecture, overcome through deep collaboration and detailed planning, as well as ensuring aiming angles were expressive but not obtrusive to guests. Additionally, where possible environmental impacts were reduced through the exclusive use of high-efficacy, long-life LED sources and the precision of the control system, which minimises energy consumption and reduces maintenance cycles.
We are most proud that the final design acts as a storyteller. The client feedback affirms this success, noting the lighting worked really well with their brand and masterfully activated and expressed the hotel’s unique, eclectic character. The result is a dynamic, living environment where light is not merely seen, but felt.
Client: Dealcorp and Standard Hotels
Interior Design: Hecker Guthrie
Photos: Shannon McGrath
