Nestled on the shore of Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada, this rustic modern destination resort sits six thousand feet above sea level with the snow-clad Sierra Nevada Range and Jeffrey pine trees as a backdrop. The169,000 square foot luxury lodge compliments an existing Clubhouse and offers154 guest rooms and suites and well-appointed amenities - all surrounded by the world-famous 18-hole Edgewood Golf Course. Architecture by CCY Architects and Interior Design by Hirsch Bedner Associates.
Residing over half a mile of the Lake Tahoe shore, the Lodge falls within the jurisdiction of the highly regulated environmental conservancy ordinances of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), which aims to limit tourism impacts logging and overgrowth on the lake’s delicate environment. The first of its kind directly on the lake, the resort’s biggest challenge was the ability to evoke wonder while still satisfying the strict ordinances of the TRPA. These include constraints to light trespass, up lighting, direct view sources, and flashing or changing intensity. Directional lighting is not allowed to project above the horizontal plane. For the few instances of uplighting at the façade, we had to demonstrate that large cantilevers were intercepting the main upward light beams. With such limitations, it was necessary to approach façade lighting differently: exploit the expansive windows framing the great room and uplight the interior cathedral ceilings to create a “lantern” effect against the blue sky backdrop.
In general, the Lodge and Lake Tahoe revolve around human experiences, whether it is the picturesque serenity of the lake against the snowcapped Sierra peaks or the Jeffery Pine backdrops. The design, both lighting, and architecture, aimed at immersing guests into those experiences by bringing this outdoor serenity indoors and overlaying with warmth and comfort. Architectural luminaires are discreet: either hidden, indirect or miniature, and are designed to do the bulk of the work “quietly,” making room for the rustic decorative interior design elements to add “sparkle” to the ambiance. Color temperature is a crucial factor: the warm “earthy” material tones have to be complemented with a warm, high CRI2700K LED color temperature for architectural luminaires, while the decorative luminaires use ±2200K LED sources for an added layer of warmth. This project achieved the LEED silver rating seemingly effortlessly.
One of the project’s most significant challenges was the tight budget, which drove the design to take an “outside the box” approach to lighting the corridors. The original concept of precise, forest-inspired light-and-shadow patterns projected on the corridor walls slowly evolved into much simpler accent lights tucked within ceiling recesses behind ornamental ironwork, creating more subtle shadow patterns on the corridor walls. This installation became a decorative ceiling element and the only artwork in these corridors.
Construction site difficulties added much complexity, as the region experienced the second wettest season in 122 years; the schedule was severely impacted by flooding and snow. On the other hand, Opening day could not be delayed due to the much-publicized Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament, slated to occur at the resort. With trades overlapping, daily RFIs, and alternate product sourcing due to lead-time issues, construction administration was a Collaboration feat.
