Story at a glance:
- Unique interior tree design spotlighted with dramatic Trace Vertical linear LED from Tivoli Lighting.
- The new design creates a vibrant atmosphere in keeping with the views of Times Square.
- The installation’s size, scale, and elegance resulted from blending natural materials with warm linear light.
With its new interior lighting tree design, the Broadway Lounge in the New York Marriott Marquis creates a relaxing yet vibrant atmosphere for guests to enjoy the spirit of Manhattan with views of Broadway Avenue and Times Square.
Located on West 46th Street and Broadway near some of NYC’s most exciting attractions, including Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, and the Theater District, the Marriott Marquis is an iconic fixture of Times Square that brilliantly captures the energy of Manhattan. This includes its Broadway Lounge on the eighth floor with its panoramic views of Times Square. Its near-Broadway location makes it a preferred dining destination for pre-theater cocktails and snacks or for watching the big game on one of its many flat-panel HDTVs.
Photo courtesy of Tivoli
As part of the Broadway Lounge’s revitalization effort, the Marriott Marquis chose to create two 15-foot “trees” with branches reaching out from 21 feet to more than 46 feet using an exquisite inlay of linear light. The challenge to bringing this vision to life was finding a vibrant, flexible, direct-view, low voltage, luminaire with consistent color temperature that was appropriate for a recessed application and could be easily cleaned and maintained. Due to exposure to direct sunlight most of the year, the linear luminaire also had to be UV stabilized for long-term performance.
The hotel chose Reveal Design Group for the project because of its extensive hotel and resort experience. Led by design director Sam Zarn and senior designers Ashton Allin and Joshua Klein, the team established the following lighting criteria for the Broadway Lounge:
- Direct View | Neon replacement
- Flexible for precise placement
- IP67-rated for wet locations
- Easily maintained
- UV stabilized (no yellowing or cracking)
- Consistence of CCT | 1 Bin, 1.5 step color consistency
- Deliver more than 200 lumens per foot
- Low voltage 24V DC
“Having the opportunity to help create a stunning visual element that can be seen from the heart of Times Square is one that doesn’t’ come up often,” Klein says. “Being able to work closely with the rest of the design team to make the lighting such an essential and integral part of the overall design, rather than just playing a supporting role, was an exciting and rewarding process.”
Photo courtesy of Tivoli
The goal of the design team was to find a lighting fixture that would match the organic form of the sculptural piece without any visible seams. They also wanted a manufacturer that was willing and able to work with them to help achieve the final polished look. After a lengthy search, the Reveal Design Group team selected Tivoli Lighting because its standard offerings provide a wide range of tools that allow for creative expression and design flexibility.
Following multiple sample tests, it was decided the best solution was the Trace Vertical linear LED from Tivoli Lighting. Trace Vertical was selected because it met or exceeded all the requirements of this unique, extremely high-profile design application. This linear LED system designed for straight and curved interior and exterior applications is constructed using flexible SMD LEDs with zero voltage drop to provide reliable uniformity of light.
Operating on 24 VDC, Trace Vertical linear LED is designed for up to 58-foot runs, consuming only 4.5 watts per foot while delivering up to 261 lumens with an 80+ CRI. It is available in static 2400K, 2700K, 3000K, 4000K, 5000K, amber, red, green, blue, and color mixing with RGB or RGBW for precise lighting applications.
Tivoli Lighting worked closely with David Wallace, operations manager, and Jennifer Mason, specification sales manager, both from O’Blaney Rinker Associates, a Manhattan-based manufacturer representative agency specializing in architectural lighting, to implement the lighting solution.
Photo courtesy of Tivoli
“The way the lighting was integrated into the architecture of the ‘tree’ created not only visual interest, but also produced an additional dimension in the space,” Mason says. “The rounded attributes of the tree required a vertical bend in the Trace material. As a result, the Trace Vertical linear LED sits flush into detail, becoming part of the tree branches.”
As with many projects that were undertaken in 2020, the largest obstacle the lighting team faced was the impact of the pandemic. It affected scheduling, material availability, and product lead times, as well as the design team’s ability to get to the site and review mock-ups in real time with the rest of the project team. Ultimately the design team was able to overcome these challenges and still achieve a great end-product through a series of video-conferenced mockup reviews made possible by material samples shipped directly to the designers’ homes.
The team received the help of Christopher DiMarco from Turner & Townsend, Anthony Scotto from OMNIBUILD and their teams to coordinate all trades for a complex installation to meet construction timeline.
The reaction to this installation has been overwhelmingly positive. Its full impact comes from its size and scale, unique appearance, and elegance that resulted from blending natural materials with warm linear light in an exquisite, world-class environment. This is truly a one-of-a kind installation that inspires a wow moment for everyone who enters the Broadway Lounge.
