Sean O’Connor Lighting’s design for the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue creates a dramatic synthesis of high-concept spaces within the hotel’s completely renovated historic interior.
The project aims to create new relationships between the visitor and the hotel’s magnificent historic public spaces, bar, and dining room with its domed ceiling. Within these striking historic spaces, the design creates a flexible, highly customizable series of spaces which can transition both from a more intimate scale to a more grand one, as well as creating a destination which changes subtly over the course of the day and night.
Completed in two phases with extremely quick construction timelines, the design was executed within a very aggressive budget and in relationship to the limitations of a historically recognized interior.
Extensive planning and coordination enabled the project to be constructed without damaging the 100-year-old lath and plaster interior while delivering new dimming and power systems for the entire space, with a complete construction timeframe for each phase lasting less than six weeks.
Within the central dining room, a custom chandelier was created which incorporates a series of sconces which are beaded to create its catenary form. Above the chandelier, a series of uplights are integrated within the historic dome’s silver leafed and muraled niches, creating a more intimate scale within the grand room.
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In addition to the extensive new lighting environments and custom fixtures designed for the project, existing brass chandeliers and sconces were blackened and re-lamped to provide a coherent, novel look at minimal cost.
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Ellipsoidal quartz downlights and remote-controlled, motorized accent lights and very narrow spot lamps were also incorporated within the ornate existing plaster ceiling to provide a range of exceptional flexibility for multipurpose banquet and event spaces.
Within the hotel cafe, continuous linear low voltage light sources are concealed in a series of coves which both enhance the ceiling’s original architectural detailing while providing a warm, ambient glow to the gathering space beneath.
Wine bottles in this private dining room sparkle from up- and downlighting situated at grazing angles. Square accent lights with beveled trims light the dining table from the cork ceiling; the trim of all lights are painted to match adjacent surfaces, creating a seamless environment of subtle textures and hues.
The Hyatt’s illuminated bar is built with surface-mounted ALR socket strips in new millwork, with alternating spot and flood lamp types to create an even wash of light at this focal point within the room.
Surrounding the bar, individual tables are pin-spotted from the sixteen-foot high ceiling using nine-degree spot lamps, creating a high degree of contrast and focused light within the overall darkened, ambient space.
As day gives way to night, a custom LED chandelier grounds this lofty space in relationship to the oyster bar below. Within the oyster bar itself, the ice is backlit with custom waterproof fluorescent fixtures which match the color temperature of the chandelier above, creating singular experience which spans the height of the room.
The design has been recognized with awards including the 2007 Merit Award from the International Association of Lighting Designers as well as an Award of Merit from GE Edison.
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