Times Square hotel creates glitzy allure with light
When most people think of New York City, they think of the iconic Times Square. Between the massive billboards glowing with flashy advertisements, the speeding taxis, and the bustling crowds, this tourist center is truly the epitome of "The Big Apple." At all hours of the day and night, Times Square exudes the drama of Broadway itself, ensuring that any first-time visitor will be stricken with awe when they enter the dazzling square. In an attempt to be the boldest, the buildings implement huge signs, lighting, displays, statues, and even street performers to lure in tourists.
The Hyatt Times Square opened in 2013 just in time for the holiday season. At this time guests from around the world flock to the city to see the sparkling seasonal lights and indulge in some holiday shopping. The hotel needed an entrance that would attract the many tourists arriving for the city's busiest season. The design team wanted to make sure it represented the glitzy allure of Time Square, while still staying true to the Hyatt's simple yet sleek design.
Lighting designer Yosuke Hiraiwa of Domingo Gonzalez Associates had the challenge of lighting a transparent net overhang at the entrance of the building. He chose an LED lighting solution because of its programming capabilities. With Color Kinetics luminaires the colors could be changed easily and automatically. Using ColorBlast, Hiraiwa created a marquee of colorful columns of stripped lights inspired by piano keys. Hiraiwa had a very distinct vision of how he wanted the lights to be programmed, so he created a spreadsheet of nearly 30 different concepts of displays. These designs were easily translated into ColorPlay software. Using the iPlayer3, the Hyatt's entrance now features 20 different shows all automatically scheduled to go with holidays, events, and seasons.
"It was a new building, and we wanted to give it a new look," Hiraiwa says. "It's unbelievable how these brilliant color changing effects can be executed with such minimal effort.
