FIVE PALM JUMEIRAH: LIGHTING THE JEWEL IN A GLASS BOX

FIVE Palm Jumeirah is a visionary beachfront resort, which blends an essence of California cool with Dubai spectacle. With 477 rooms and suites across 16 floors, this luxury hotel features a striking amphitheatre design. In addition, a signature central glass cube and 60 metre vanishing pool add to this distinctive concept. In fact, the hotel houses ten restaurants and nightlife settings, spa, beach pool, kids club and health and wellness areas. We designed internal and external architectural lighting at this resort, which has created a magnificent landmark in Dubai.

Copyright:FIVE Real Estate Development

The iconic entrance & glass cube

Unlike any other hotel lobby, the FIVE Palm Jumeirah has been designed with a show-stopping iconic entrance. This area has been specifically designed to welcome guests to the spiritual heart of the building. So, it creates a transcendental experience for guests who can experience striking views across the swimming pool, Dubai Marina skyline and oceanic horizons. However, the most striking design element of the project is the glass cube. This area sits at the hotel’s centre, housing an intricate wooden creation, which has been inspired by the Islamic pointed arch and the structure of DNA.

Our brief

Inverse were commissioned to design interior and exterior lighting, which would complement the state-of-the art architecture and interior. The interior concept visuals, in some ways, reflected the essence of the challenge we were faced with. We would need to consider how to illuminate the sculpture to show its three-dimensional qualities. However, could we find a way to do this without exposing the light sources? After all, the sculpture’s innovative design meant that luminaires could not attach to any surface.

Copyright: YabuPushelberg

Ideas to consider

Initially, we considered several ideas;
uplighting sculpture columns from the base,

in-fill lighting concealed within the sculpture,

lights between the perimeter fins.

Obstacles to overcome

The omission of the perimeter fins and the complications in concealing lights in the laminated wood structure forced us to discount some ideas. Also, having lights at high level on the structure would have drawn more attention to specific parts of the sculpture. As a result, this would make the structure look more fragmented. However, we wanted to achieve a perception of the iconic sculpture rising from the ground. So, we came up with an innovative solution. We would instead install the luminaires at the bottom of the columns, which would add more depth to the design. However, we would also add in-fill and accent lighting in order to define additional positions on the floor.

Starting the process

In-house, we set up scaled down mock-ups to verify the intended effects.

Initially, we set up an arrangement to allow up-lights for every face of the column structure.

Then, during the trials, it appeared that positioning the up-lights at the corners of the columns created a more interesting effect. This actually complemented the three-dimensional features of the sculpture and reduced glare by minimising the view to the luminaires.

We also located additional luminaires at the corners of the sculpture to provide in-fill lighting.

Then, linear lights concealed to the perimeter of the glass cube provided an overall brightness around the sculpture.

Stage by stage

After several mock-ups and trials, we took a deliberate decision to illuminate the sculpture with light sources that are below the floor. After all, this would create an effective three-dimensional view of the stunning structure. The result is a beautifully-lit, dramatic object, which has become a centre piece at this luxury hotel.

This section of the sculpture demonstrates one of the strategic lighting effects we achieved; Copyright: FIVE Real Estate Development

It was absolutely critical that we maintained an adequate contract between the sculpture and the exterior landscape so that the glass cube became the main focal point of the whole façade.

Exterior lighting solutions

Our team of architectural lighting designers designed the exterior lighting to be subtle and complement the architecture and landscape. This way, it would please the eye without compromising on the required brightness on the ground. We also added up-lights to the trees along the pool to create a seamless flow. Our team delineated the pool with concealed linear LED light sources on the perimeter, in addition to a minimal number of pool lights. Then, we designed low level skirting lighting to frame the planters to add to the striking effect.

We have concealed the linear light sources on the perimeter of the arch, framing the building with a beautiful glow.

From this initial concept sketch, (Left) we produced CGI rendering (Middle), which led to the final, striking result (Right)

Designed by YabuPushelberg, the hotel interiors feature a calming palette of neutral colours working in harmony alongside teal and brushed bronze finishes. Our lighting scheme induces pleasant emotions, creates styles and functions as necessary for visual tasks. Meanwhile, the moody night time scenes create a contrasting atmosphere for guests and residents to enjoy a panorama of breath-taking views.

The results

Our work with FIVE Palm Jumeirah has helped to create a unique experience for the hotel and its residents. After all, we have played an intrinsic part in the architectural lighting for the interior and exterior at this luxury resort. The spectacular results, we have achieved at this particular destination, further demonstrate how we solve unique project demands with precision and panache.

In conclusion

Now we have enhanced the wooden sculpture in the hotel lobby with an innovative architectural lighting system beyond all expectations. Furthermore, our exterior lighting is subtle and elegant in order to add to the appealing aesthetic and draw the eye towards the iconic glass cube and sculpture. In fact, this demonstrates how our architectural lighting design team works so closely on every detail. We always take pride in delivering an incredible service from our comprehensive planning and innovative ideas to thorough testing and creating architectural lighting solutions.

Our team was responsible for the state-of-the-art, exterior lighting on the façade of the Siam Discovery shopping centre in Bangkok and you can read all about it by clicking here.