International Property Awards The Mill House, Bishop Hall Lane, Chelmsford, Essex, CMI ILG, UK
Competition Entry Africa F5: Hotel Interior www.dlh-na.com e: sandra@dlh-na.com e: holly@dlh-na.com s: 264 81 243 1875 h: 264 81 673 2842 DLH LIFESTYLE CC, Shop 13 Maerua Lifestyle Centre, Centaurus Street, Windhoek, Namibia
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
A. Overview
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Client
Section A 1a
Avani Hotels and Resorts
Background and project brief
Project Avani Windhoek Hotel and Casino Independence Avenue Windhoek, Namibia
The 44 year old iconic Kalahari Sands Hotel and Casino, situated in the heart of Namibia̓s capital city Windhoek, in July 2015 changed shareholdings and was renamed to Avani Windhoek Hotel and Casino. Under the leadership of the minor Avani and Sun International Hotel Groups, the popular hotel in Independence Avenue, offers 175 elegant rooms and suites, a casino, various bars, restaurants, conferencing facilities and a spectacular rooftop sunset deck. DLH Lifestyle cc was invited to submit a redesign proposal to upgrade the hotel̓s entrances, restaurants, bars, conferencing facilities and public restrooms. The client desired a design solution that would transform the hotel̓s clientele experience to one that is in line with their existing Avani Hotel image and established brand identity around the world. Emphasis was placed on creating social spaces, dynamic yet elegant environments, catering for all types of events, explorative dining settings that tie together with contemporary menu options in playfully exciting and current spaces. DLH took the opportunity to express an interior design that reflects and upholds an aesthetic that mirrors current trends expressed in Windhoek̓s art, social and entrepreneurial societies, creating a vibrant and on trend space for locals and travelers from around the world to meet, mix, mingle and enjoy together.
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A. Overview
Section A 1a
DLH managed the entirety of the design specification, procurement and project managing of all the installations of the renovation from a grey box to final completed handover. Grey shell (grey box) popular. Definition: one form of a shell lease, a grey shell is a commercial or residential building with an unfinished interior without flooring, internal walls, ceilings, lighting, plumbing, electrics, fittings, finishes and furniture.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
The project ran in the following phases – all of which were undertaken at the same time that the hotel was fully operational.
Phase 1 - Ground Floor Conversion of 4 existing street side stores into the new Avani Windhoek Hotel reception lobby, group check-in, concierge desk, restrooms, administration offices and new Avani Pantry bistro kitchen and bar.
Phase 2 - First Floor Conversion of the existing first floor reception into 3 new conferencing rooms with preassembly and two administration offices. Create a new casino entrance. Upgrade the existing Dunes Buffet Restaurant. Build a new Avani FIT gym facility.
Phase 3 - Rooftop 15th floor – an entire new floor level was to be constructed by the main contracting company boasting gorgeous 4 m high glazing, offering panoramic views across the horizons surrounding the city basin. We immensely enjoyed designing and building the new Stratos restaurant and bar on this spectacular new floor along with an unforgettable sunset bar. On the Southern side of this high rise, Windhoek̓s most sought after event and conferencing room is created, catering for 108 guests, with a spacious preassembly and state of the art conferencing experience.
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A. Overview
Section A 1b
Section A 1b
Budget £ 1 028 571.43 Phase 1 – 33.6% Phase 2 – 32.10% Phase3 – 34.3%
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section A 1c
Floor plans and images Existing Hotel Independence Ave. Windhoek Phase 1 Independence Avenue – existing street side stores to be converted in to new hotel entrance
Phase 2 First floor existing Dunes Restaurant balcony to be closed into new facade design
Phase 3 New 15th floor to be added to the top of the hotel
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Section A 1c
A. Overview
An old existing street view of the hotel and first floor restaurant balcony before project inception
Image via Oryx Properties 15
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section A 1c
Phase 1 Ground Floor Conversion of 4 existing street side stores into the new Avani Windhoek Hotel reception lobby, group check-in, concierge desk, restrooms, administration offices and new Avani Pantry bistro kitchen and bar. - Existing ground floor site plan (not to scale). - Highlighted area indicating space to be styled 530 square meters – interior space
1. New area for bus parking and group check-in entrance 2. New street side entrance with new glass revolving door 3. Independence Avenue 4. Exterior sidewalk 5. Old stores 1-4 6. Mall entrance 7. Wecke & Voigts Mall passage 8. Passage to lift lobby 9. Delivery entrance to basement parking
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A. Overview
Here we begin with the installation of the drywalls and ceiling grid on the ground floor.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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A. Overview
Section A 2 Architectural render of new entrance facade and bus parking.
Image via Oryx Properties
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section A 1c
Phase 2 – First Floor Conversion of the existing first floor reception into 3 new conferencing rooms with preassembly and 2 administration offices. Create a new casino entrance. Upgrade the existing Dunes buffet restaurant. Build a new gym facility. - Existing site plan (not to scale) - Highlighted area indicating space to be styled 1200 square meters – interior space
1. New casino entrance from inside the mall 2. Area to be converted into 3x conference room and preassembly 3. New Avani FIT gym 4. Dunes Buffet Restaurant area and balcony
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section A 1c Photographs of existing Dunes Restaurant interior and balcony to be restyled.
Existing first floor Dunes Buffet Restaurant with an open balcony seating.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section A 2 Design renderings of the Dunes Buffet Restaurant upgrade.
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A. Overview
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section A 1c
Phase 3 – Roof Top 15th floor – an entire new floor level is to be constructed by the main contracting company boasting gorgeous 4 m high glazing, offering panoramic views across the horizons surrounding the city basin. The new 15th floor level is to offer the hotel a stylish new Stratos a la carte restaurant and sunset deck with swimming pool and sunset bar. A centre core of service and back of house operations. And on the southern side, an exquisite new conferencing and banqueting hall with pre assembly and restrooms hall.
Photographs of existing pool on the floor level just below the new envisioned floor level.
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A. Overview
The proposed layout and construction of the new rooftop level to be built. Image via Oryx Properties
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section A 2 Design renderings of the new 15th floor – restaurant and pool deck.
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A. Overview
Section A 2 Design renderings of the new 15th floor – conference room.
Initially the proposal for the new Stratos conference room was light and airy, applying mostly white and taupe colouring, it alluded to its position, located ̔up in the clouds̓ - this concept was considered and favoured. After consideration it was concluded that this concept although beautiful did not reestablish the design signature created on the ground and first floor as well as the proposal presented below.
Initial design proposed
Final design chosen 43
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 1
Ground Floor New Hotel Entrance Independence Avenue
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The striking new Avani hotel entrance, now situated on the city̓s main street, clearly establishes the hotels presence and refreshed identity in Windhoek̓s inner city experience. With a strong and tangible connection to the street side, the hotel bistro and bar is now a favourable option for both guests and local city goers.
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Section B 1
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Concierge and group check-in
View into passage with concierge and group check-in counters on left
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Gorgeous and robust, the concierge counter and adjacent group checkin counter run into the passage space en route to the lift lobby. The circulation space is highlighted by the application of a suspended timber slat ceiling, dividing the wide corridor into a space of pause on the left and movement on the right. The end of this wide passageway is treated with floor to ceiling beveled wall mirrors, reflecting the revolving glass entrance door, natural light and movement of the main street creating the impression that the space is open to the other end.
B. Completed Design
A view right of the glass revolving doors shows the newly installed reception counter and lounge seating, offering a comfortable yet sophisticated environment. African motifs are sensitively applied together with plush and luxurious velvet scatters. The furniture holds a contemporary framework, mirroring the straight lines of the service counters, with an easy and uncomplicated ceiling design leaving the space feeling clean and neat. Weathered copper tiles bring a robust and earthed feeling into the space, all colours are drawn from the surrounding Namibian landscapes.
Reception
Reception desk and lounge seating 51
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
In a similar fashion the bar and chairs at the new Avani pantry bar are styled with square brass frames and bar overhead carrier that gives the design a seamless and curated look of sophistication and elegance.
Beautiful brushed metal mosaics clad the vertical front of the bar, serving as both a glamorous and durable finish.
Avani Pantry bar
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B. Completed Design
Avani Pantry bar and bistro
A warm and cozy setting is created for the Avani Pantry bistro with weathered copper tiles, warm white lighting, brass and timber finishes. A grab and go option is now available to the hotel guests, offering beverages, pre packed breakfast boxes and uncomplicated bistro style meals.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 1
First Floor Newly renovated Dunes Buffet Restaurant
A light refurbishment of the classic and renowned Dunes Buffet Restaurant offers long standing patrons a refreshed setting that maintains the essence and feeling of the restaurant that has been, and will always be, one of Windhoek̓s most loved and celebrated home favourites.
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B. Completed Design
The newly enclosed Dunes Restaurant balcony, offering a somewhat industrial yet familiar setting - bringing the existing design elements and old buffet stations seen on the left, with tones of brass and copper together with the newly built addition above.
Newly enclosed Dunes Buffet Restaurant balcony
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
First floor preassembly bar Here we take a look at the old first floor reception that has been uniquely crafted into three stylish conference rooms with a spacious preassembly area and bar. What is celebrated here is the robust yet elegant use of colour, materials and shaping of the space. With strong earth tones, a certain atmosphere of ̔we mean business̓ is established on this floor. This being one of the most highly booked conference facilities in the city. Durability, comfort and understated style were essential to this execution. The bar is fully lockable as this area is open to the casino entrance 24 hours a day, the enclosed conference rooms are fitted with state of the art double glazed acoustic glass and door systems, creating perfect conditions for private and confidential events.
First floor preassembly bar image via Adventure Factory
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
Section B 1
Rooftop Stylish and contemporary lounge settings are created on the sunset deck, using the same strong cubic furniture shape and subtly mirrored into the carpet motif and again up into the custom built LED ceiling design a strong sense of the ̔city life̓ is created here. From the edge of the new rooftop swimming pool - a serene view overlooks the semi business / residential district of Windhoek. Transparent balustrades enclose the entirety of the deck, allowing you to float on top of the city basin in a wash of soothing, muted, soft and hazy copper colours.
Stylish and contemporary outdoor lounges
Image via Adventure Factory
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
The Golden Hour Here we see the interior in a fuller expression of the design intention.
Looking through the restaurant space - we experience the fullness of the design - clean lines, opulent colours, precise applications of divisions and accents, creating a space that allows you to feel like you are dining on top of the world. A slightly more contrasted approach is taken at the Stratos rooftop bar, similar in design and form to the ground floor, giving a sophisticated aesthetic - with a darker upholstery selected for the chairs contrasted with the same gold metal mosaic to the bar front. In both instances beveled brass wall mirrors tile the back of the bar wall, reflecting the adjacent skyline, giving a transparent feeling through the back of the bar.
New Stratos restaurant bar 60
New Stratos a la carte restaurant
B. Completed Design
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
With soft afternoon light bleeding through the sheer draping, reflected back into the brass tinted wall mirrors this space seems endless and pretty much as intimate as you could wish for. We love the muted brass, copper, and sand colours, if you know Namibia, it is arid and it is timeless, we hope that this space speaks to the environment as well as forges a new way forward, framing current trends in fashion, lifestyle and hospitality interiors.
Beveled wall mirrors, plush upholstered seating and warm morning sunshine creates this intimate dining setting, tucked into the far eastern corner of the restaurant. 63
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
The Stratos conference room showing off panoramic views over the business district of Windhoek city centre, celebrated as the crown of the city̓s event venues.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
Striking cut out room dividers are used to break up the long restaurant space with soft draping backdrop hanging from ceiling to floor. Warm turmeric coloured upholstery is chosen for the restaurant seating with dark timber tables, offset against soft and luminous draping along the length of the restaurants 4 meter high windows.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 2
Important Elements The clients desired result was to create an environment that is warm, luxurious, playful and comfortable. An interior design that mirrors the current culture and trends in our fashion, music and business industries. The spaces to be created should facilitate connection, socializing, comfort and experience.
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B. Completed Design
Section B 2
Ground Floor Striking new hotel entrance Spacious and durable concierge desk and group check-in counter Point of pause and interest Sociable and relaxed – Avani pantry and bar Live music and experimental menu options Luxurious, warm and comfortable Distinct and stylish reception lounge Avani Pantry and bar – live music and experimental menu options
First Floor A new look at the Dunes Buffet Restaurant Doubling up - first floor conferencing and banqueting facilities
Rooftop A view from the top Glamorous Elegant dining Stratos Sophisticated conference and banqueting
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 2
Ground Floor Striking new entrance The new bus parking entrance and group check-in entrance on the left of the new arrivals area have a minimal and contemporary finish with off shutter concrete, grey cobbles and a modern ceiling installation with LED lighting profiles that make the entrance facade distinctively contemporary.
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B. Completed Design
A beautiful glass revolving door invites guests to enter the hotel reception from Independence Avenue, with a similar application of LED lighting leading into the space, guests are dawn into the reception interior. Tiles bleed out onto the street side and a transparent facade allows passers by to experience in full view the interior spaces created to be seen and enjoyed by everyone. 71
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Facade details
The facade at eye level is transparent - with glass shop fronts wrapping the perimeter of the new space, showing off the new reception and party bistro interior.
Decorative brass lights from FARO Spain, hang over the business counter just inside the shop front. PLAT is a minimalistic pendant lamp. The focus is on bulb, its shine is disseminated for the entire room. Its structure is made of metal in a plate shape design - minimalist and modern style. Available in 3 colors of which we used gold and black. Gold and black were used in this project.
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B. Completed Design
Point of pause and interest Along the wall of the long passage towards the lifts we took the opportunity to utilize this space to create moment of pause. With neutral tones and textures, using the sunburst star of Namibia as inspiration for this, we created an interesting and versatile photo backdrop, crafted from custom-made laser cut steel wall panels finished in matte gold. This setting is used for group pictures and a popular place for local fashionistas and influencers alike, it was a success for 2018 Windhoek Fashion Week, as designers and models used this interior to photograph and showcase there new fashion ranges. All furniture is custom made in the same brass finish for this project, giving it a minimal and sleek elegance of consideration.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Spacious and durable concierge desk and group check-in counter The need for a spacious facility to assist guests with queries and large group check-in was a high priority.
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B. Completed Design
The facilities needed to be robust and durable. We have selected NEOLITH sintered stone surfacing for all service counter installations, with its capabilities for seamless mitre joints and large format slabs, we were able to achieve a gorgeous solid stone appearance on these service counters.
The material used is called Basalt Grey, and as the name implies it is inspired by basalt rock. The material is created by subjecting the 100% natural raw materials to very high pressures and temperatures resulting in physical and mechanical features which are unprecedented.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Sociable and relaxed - Avani Pantry and bar The new Avani Pantry had a very specific desired outcome for our client, a casual yet upmarket bistro and bar - running along Windhoek̓s main street. This space had to be comfortable, relaxed and welcoming to everyone in the city centre- the perfect place to grab a coffee on your way to the office, meet for a casual lunch, and of course a place to meet for a drink after work with themed live music evenings and private events. This space also caters for the hotel guests that prefer a grab and go breakfast option, especially when they have an early morning departure or a Safari booked that day.
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B. Completed Design
Large format full body porcelain tiles with a beautiful oxidized copper patina were selected for special focus walls - combined with hand manufactured brass lettering, for the new Avani Pantry brand.
A close-up of the laser cut wall panel design mounted with spacers creating depth and shadows cast on the back wall. 77
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
Distinct and stylish reception lounge KNIVE wall lamps from FRAO Spain are installed against the matt black wall tiles to create subtle ambient lighting in the comfortable lounge settings of the bistro.
Deep tones Silk curtains, ambient lighting and deep purple accents on the cigar chairs, give the restaurant corner space its understated and comfortable elegance.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Luxurious, warm and comfortable Here we look from the comfortable lounge seating up to the glass revolving entrance door, the space across three levels.
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B. Completed Design
Adorned with velvet scatter pillows and accents of a tribal inspired motif - alluding to the hotel̓s African context. The colors are rich and sophisticated, consistent with a neutral palette reflecting the surrounding environment. With limited space to work within, we created 2 lounge settings back to back, adjacent from the reception counter.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 2
First Floor A new look at the Dunes Buffet Restaurant
Being a long-time favorite to many Namibian locals, this family style buffet restaurant offers one of the best Sunday lunch buffets in the city. Some residents have been frequenting here since their childhood. With minimal changes we needed to keep the essence of the restaurant that everyone has grown to love, giving it a refreshed feeling that ties in with the other newly renovated areas. This is also the main breakfast dining room for the hotel guests.
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B. Completed Design
Keeping all the old brass and copper buffet units as they were, polished them up and painted the old dark cherry wood with a neutral water-based paint. We also kept the ceiling bulkheads and simply refreshed them with a coat of white paint and added a golden wallpaper to the centre with the same gold pendant lights as used on the ground floor, keeping a distinct design thread running through the project. On the left we see the newly enclosed balcony, a raw exposed concrete sill around the window ties in with the off shutter concrete design on the bus parking exterior facade. Gold wallpaper covers the ceiling above, and a combination of taupe and Avani purple upholstery on the dining chairs.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Something unique
Image via Adventure Factory
This custom printed wallpaper was designed specially for this project, to be installed on the long passageway leading to the new casino entrance. Here again this mural type effect is enjoyed as a backdrop for many guest and visitors alike.
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B. Completed Design
Doubling up first floor conferencing and banqueting facilities The old reception now converted into 3 stylish conference and banquet rooms with a spacious preassembly area and bar. This space is maximized for revenue generation as the hotels banqueting capacity doubles. Repeating the sand dunes colors from downstairs with copper accents and deep purple hues.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 2
Rooftop
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
A view from the top The new rooftop level is of course the star of the show, constructed on top of a hotel with one of the longest histories in the city, infamous for a lifetime of rooftop dining and private functions. The Avani Hotel is also one of the tallest buildings in the city, with 360° views to all surrounding horizons off the city basin. This is the ultimate place to catch a true Namibian sunset, offering the latests trends in cocktail mixing, an eclectic contemporary Namibian a la carte menu, and the most glamorous banquet room the city has to date.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
With symmetrical and mirrored design lines the limited deck space is maximized for transparency and the feeling of open space - with a strong inside outside connection the interior and exterior spaces are fully viewable along the exaggerated length of the restaurant space.
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B. Completed Design
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
Glamorous Golden tones are used from top to bottom in this design, from opulent gold palm wallpapers, golden velvet upholstered seating, to recycled bamboo wall panels deco sprayed in rich gold, leading the men and ladies. Keeping the tones muted and matte, giving a rich and sophisticated feeling. All the furniture is custom made with the same brass finished frames consistent throughout the new renovations.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Golden, luxury, warmth This glorious golden palm wallpaper from Cole and Son is a striking and glamorous detail to the restaurant interior coupled with richly upholstered golden velour banquet seating.
The Hollywood Palm ‘‘ A celebration of Martyn̓s LA influences, Hollywood Palm is an instant classic born out of both common Cole and Son motifs and deco Palm Springs design. The spot repeat, which gives the design an all over luscious density, is inspired by graphic artist M.C. Escher̓s tessellation prints, creating a design that̓s both contemporary and traditional in its style̓̓
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
Elegant dining Here we see the gorgeous 4 m high shopfronts on the left that divide the exaggeratedly long interior and exterior space. Keeping the ceiling as high as possible, we implemented a timber block design with asymmetrical light placement, this design lending itself to the hotels inner city location. To the left we created slightly more intimate arrangements with a lower ceiling level, also to carry all the necessary services above. This ceiling is painted in a soft taupe color to match with the large format 1.2 x 1.2 m stone floor tiles. Luxuriously upholstered seating groups are divided by laser cut room dividers, also having a block type motif to tie in with the ceiling design. To the back of these intimate seating environments we installed beveled bronze wall mirrors, reflecting the adjacent skyline, making the space feel open and transparent to both sides.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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B. Completed Design
Stratos Sophisticated conference and banqueting We really enjoyed creating this special room, taking our time to select the soft yet warm sand-like colors along the walls and sheer curtaining. The carpet is specially designed for this project, using the Avani purple and sand flecks in a radial design that mirrors the ceiling. Each suspended ceiling disk is fitted with an RGB LED strip, making the room versatile and adaptable to a wide range of events and moods. The chairs are matched with the sand color in the carpet and curtains to give a minimalistic and sleek design aesthetic. Allowing the purple in the carpet and ceiling to bring the room to life in a distinctly Avani look and feel. Each banquet room is fitted with a state of the art conferencing and audio system, making the experience both easy and exciting for both presenter and audience.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 3
How the budget was utilized £ 1 028 571.43 Phase 1 – 33.6% Phase 2 – 32.10% Phase3 – 34.3%
Smoked glass doors between the bus parking and group check-in area 100
Section B 3
A. Overview
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Section B 4
Swatch and sample boards Please refer to the physical samples included in this entry box to experience the feeling of colours, textures and finishes that are used in this project. The tones are earthed and robust and the materials are practical and durable. This interior is built with a solid foundation of full bodied stone surfaces and solid timber and steel furniture. Subtle touches of glamour are added through custom printed wallpapers and velour fabrics. Motifs are sensitively applied through laser cut screens, 3D wall panelling and decorative scatters.
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Section B 4
B. Completed Design
This exquisite gold and black palm leaf wallpaper - Hollywood Palm designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, makes a striking statement of opulence with it finely printed leaves and jewel-like fruit bunches. 103
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Recycled bamboo wall panels finished in matte gold - selected for both their acoustic properties and cubic motif, were the perfect choice to create interest and glamour to the restroom passage way.
All the bathrooms were fitted with seamless Staron Metallic galaxy triple basins with brushed gold faucets from AXOR Citerrio inspired by Italian Neoclassicism. 104
B. Completed Design
To the left and below we see the installations of custom manufactured laser cut steel room dividers and wall panels finished in the interiors signature matte brass colour.
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Rooftop restaurant and sunset deck 120
A. Overview
Here we see the louvre shading roof mirroring the shape of the narrow rooftop pool, clean lines and transparency are created with a seamless glass balustrade wrapping around the decks perimeter. Casual and relaxed outdoor furniture is arranged around the sunset deck offering guests a view of the surrounding city horizons in absolute style and comfort. 121
Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
Thank you for the time to review and consider our submission Sandra Lamprecht Holly Hempson
www.dlh-na.com e: sandra@dlh-na.com e: holly@dlh-na.com s: 264 81 243 1875 h: 264 81 673 2842 DLH LIFESTYLE CC, Shop 13 Maerua Lifestyle Centre, Centaurus Street, Windhoek, Namibia
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A. Overview
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Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino
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