Crown Melbourne is an entertainment complex comprising a casino, luxury hotel, five
-star restaurants, bars and retail offerings. The eastern end of this complex was extended, incorporating a new façade. The challenge was to light the façade
while accentuating the richness of the faceted glass and sumptuous sandstone elements.
“The lighting of the façade has created a cross between a sparkling jewel and bubbles in
champagne,“ one judge commented of the project. The design concept was that of a luxury perfume bottle with precious contents. The interesting effect realized over the entire sandstone and glass façade was achieved through concealing cold cathode light in the façade nosing. Light is reflected in each of the corrugations of the individual glass panels
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The thickness of these panels and the lighting treatment add depth, sparkle and warmth, enticing patrons with the sense of luxury and sophistication. “Full integration of lighting with the architecture results in not only a beautiful façade design but also [acts as]
branding and signage,” another judge praised of the design. “If only every project could
have this level of lighting integration.”
The nosing system is designed to avoid any direct view of the light source, yet delivers light to the adjacent glass and sandstone. The effect is of a glowing façade, but it is difficult to tell where the light is coming from. Turned - back electrodes were specified for the cold cathode lighting to give a completely unbroken line of light the exact length of the façade, from top to bottom. Low - power cold cathode (20mA) was chosen over LEDs in favor of its omnidirectional light distribution, color appearance, lamp life and cost.
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