Martin Architectural Illuminates The Palms Casino Resort

In Vegas, it’s all about lights and attraction. And what better way to get noticed than a 325-foot high façade of color changing light.

Martin Architectural has illuminated the 42-story tower of The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas with 98 Exterior 600 automated color changers, making it the first Vegas resort hotel façade with full color changing.

Martin Architectural has illuminated the 42-story tower of The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas with 98 Exterior 600 automated color changers, making it one of the first Vegas resort hotel façades with full color changing.

Shoot out
In November 2002 Martin Architectural was part of a mock up shoot out along with other exterior lighting companies, which Martin won “hands down”. Extreme brightness, impressive color and, most importantly, evenness of color wash, were major cocerns of both the owners and Dave McCarrol of Kaplan Partners Architectural Lighting. The Martin Exterior 600 proved itself the best choice in all categories including an exceptionally even illumination of the 325-foot tower.

Kelly Communication and Martin Professional
The illumination project was contracted out to Kelly Communication. Kelly Communications’ Director of Design & Construction, Steve Cox, and Director of Lighting, Adam Gregory, contacted Martin to complete a layout, design and specification for a 360-degree illumination of the tower. Martin´s Architectural Application and Integration Specialist, Joe Zamore, and Martin’s Project’s Coordinator, Carl Wake, provided Kelly with a proposal for a lighting design based on the 575-watt Exterior 600. The head of Martin’s Las Vegas office, Tim Brennan, and technician Doug Brown were also instrumental throughout the project.

Deadline met
Martin’s design proposal was accepted and the order executed just after Thanksgiving, which didn’t give much time to meet an operational date of New Year’s Eve. The fixtures were on site within 21 days of the order, installed and wired by electrical contractors TekCon, and on December 28th Joe Zamore and Adam Gregory completed the aim and focus with assistance from Martin’s Las Vegas crew. Mark Pranzini, an independent lighting programmer, then completed the programming and the install was ready to go, on time, December 31st.

Custom solution
Previously white lit, the building included existing lighting conditions such as power and steel braces that were subsequently modified and customized to fit the needs of the Exterior install. Various roof levels around the building meant that a variety of pole-mounted positions were created for the Exteriors. These start at 40 ft. off the ground so as not to interfere with the ground lighting.

The 360-degree illumination of the 325-foot tower is impressive to say the least. Color is evenly distributed at all points of the façade in a color scheme that is constantly changing and reprogrammed for special events or holidays like, for example, Valentines Day when the tower was illuminated in red, pink and white.

The Exteriors are controlled via a Martin PC-based LightJockey system located in the building engineer area. The owner reportedly also has a LightJockey at home along with a 3D model of the building so he can play with various lighting schemes and motifs.

Additional lighting
An exterior lighting addition will be completed soon at Skin Pool Lounge and Rain in the Desert, two exclusive venues at The Palms. Rain in the Desert, Skin Pool Lounge and Ghost Bar already boast exceptional Martin intelligent lighting systems that have helped make them some of the most popular destinations in Vegas. Exterior lighting is also being planned for a second Palms tower.

Owners: Maloof Brothers
Lighting Design: Dave McCarrol from Kaplan Partners Architectural Lighting
Lighting Dealer: Kelly Communications - Steve Cox Director of Design & Construction; Adam Gregory Director of Lighting
Electrical Contractor: Tek-Con, Las Vegas
Martin Professional Team: Joe Zamore, Carl Wake, Tim Brennan, Doug Brown