Sally Storey, Design Director of Lighting Design International, the doyen of hotel lighting design, gives a few pointers...

Successful lighting forms a vital role, providing the visual link between the various public areas of a hotel. There should be a subtle divide between the welcoming lobby, the bar and the restaurant. Often these areas are open plan to one another, but each has a different function, so the localised lighting can help create the mood seamlessly changing between each area. For example, the reception needs to be bright for 'check in' compared to the atmospheric bar for night time drinking.

A hotel provides an environment that is visually stimulating and relaxing and should offer unparalleled service as well. The perfect solution to lighting is to conceal the source of light so that the space seems to be lit by magic. Decorative lighting elements need to be dimmed and selected as part of the interior decoration but they are not the full story. It is the concealed lighting, the discrete highlighting of features that creates the focus, drama and atmosphere, but all so subtly achieved that no one notices where the light comes from.

The lighting needs to be considered at the outset if it is to be an integral part of the design process and not simply 'tacked on' later. It is important for the lighting designer to fully understand the architectural requirements and appreciate the interior design of a space. By being involved at the beginning of the project, custom light fittings can be properly developed and ceilings adapted to integrate lighting discretely. There is nothing worse than art work not being lit properly simply because it changes at the last moment; communication between the design team members is important until the very end of the project.

A hotel is almost like a small town in one building with so many different zones including restaurants, bars, meeting rooms, spas; each has its own function and each requires a different atmosphere. This change of atmosphere should be programmed to happen automatically throughout the day so subtly that it is almost imperceptible. An astronomical clock linked to a preset control system makes this easily achievable to suit each time of day from sunrise to sunset and takes a complicated control system out of the hands of hotel staff, who may forget which scene should be used at a certain time of the day. It is only the restaurant and bar areas, when these zones are separate, do we leave the control of the lighting to the maitre'd. Often there may be subtle differences between a weekday and Saturday night settings as the 'crowd' may be different and require a slightly different atmosphere i.e. a younger group will invariably like a dimmer, more dramatic setting.

The tools available to a lighting designer now allow the ability to almost decorate a space with light, especially with new colour changing devices. During the day, daylight is the main contributing factor with some additional general downlights and slight contrasts introduced by highlighting key items such as narrow beam downlights to focus on a fantastic flower display in reception. By evening the light can be manipulated so it becomes a play of light and shadow, as the general lighting is dimmed and the accent lighting increased. Back lighting a bar with LED's could become a key focus. For example, it could be an understated white light during the day, changing to a dramatic fuscia or blue by night or possibly a slowly changing colour palette for a dynamic effect. This introduction of colour would totally change the mood from a corporate daytime event to a party venue at night.

One of the main revenue earners for hotels are the meeting rooms and ballroom. Designing lighting that is changeable to allow for corporate presentation requiring a bright and diffuse light by day to a wedding dinner where a more intimate setting is required is an interesting challenge. To change the mood in the space within a couple of hours is often required, and only the lighting can do this within the timescale successfully. At essentially, the touch of a button a coffer lit with cold cathode to produce an even white light can dramatically change to being bathed in a blue glow for a party setting. Pinspot fittings on a track can individually focus on a flower arrangement on each table and using a 'director spotlight' with its remote controlled head can be a great tool for the Banqueting Manager. It operates using an infra red controller to pan and tilt towards tables or features to suit different layouts of tables, allowing the Banqueting Manger endless possibilities and no longer having the chore of getting up and down a ladder to re-direct fittings. This alone saves a huge amount of time for setting up tables for dinner.

Another growing element requiring particular design sensitivity within the hotel industry is the spa culture, which has become a must for every 5 star hotel. A Spa needs to be an oasis of pleasure for all the senses. From the moment a client enters to the minute they leave, they should be transported by the subtleties of music, smells and light. New exotic spa treatments have also required lighting to extend as part of the treatment itself with the introduction of different colours to suit different treatments. At the touch of a button, a treatment room can be bathed in lilac, amber or aqua light; soothing and relaxing.

The lighting of a hotel is not restricted to the interior and often the exterior can be an important aspect creating a landmark of a city hotel. This is particularly illustrated by the exterior lighting of the Grande Bretagne Hotel in Athens designed by Chris Lewis at Lighting Design International. The design was to reinstate this as an outstanding hotel, highlighting its very classical lines and accentuating its prominent corner position. Such details as the stone lion heads supporting the first floor balconies were in such a state of decay they had to be replaced, but this time as fibre glass that allowed fibre optics to be detailed into the lions paws to uplight their faces. Recessed uplights highlight the gold crests on the balconies providing interest when viewed from the rooms.

The whole result proved a success with a close-knit collaboration between the architect, interior designer and lighting designer.

Above all, the lighting of every hotel should emphasise its individuality. Atmosphere and drama must be created to complement the interior architecture, the clientele of the hotel and the different functions of any given area. The mood must be balanced to create a subtle combination of lighting effects whilst still emphasising the interior style of the whole. Maybe it is the very complexity and variety of spaces that make lighting designers enjoy the challenge of lighting hotels.

www.lightingdesigninternational.com