December 5, 2013
Wynn Las Vegas tapped event designer Preston Bailey to create two exuberant floral installations of a hot air balloon and carousel for permanent residence in its atrium.
Mr. Bailey and the teams of craftsmen expended more than 3,500 hours designing the two installations that weigh thousands of pounds. The hotel is already well-known for its lavish commitment to floral designs, so rather than acting as an whimsical aberration, the new installations fit with the existing decor.
"The guest response has been overwhelmingly positive," said Rosie Abrams, public relations manager ofWynn Resorts, Las Vegas. "We love to have the hotel constantly changing and are always looking for ways to make the guest experience more interesting and give our guests something new and beautiful to look at, this installation has done just that.
Lush flowers
Mr. Bailey drew upon childhood inspirations such as "the magic of a carousel and the imposing imagery of a hot air balloon" when contemplating the installations. The designer also wanted the works to mesh with whimsy found in the atrium.
Once the idea was conceived, Wynn Design and Development and Forte Specialty Contractors crafted the installations using a core made of fiber-reinforced plastic. Together, the installations required more than 110,000 flowers.
Mr. Bailey's hot air balloon installation in the Wynn atrium
The hot air balloon is 20 feet tall and weights 4,000 pounds, while the carousel is 13 feet tall, 16 feet wide and weighs 6,000 pounds. Theatrical lighting and festive music complement the installations.
Mr. Bailey's carousel installation in the Wynn atrium
Ficus trees surrounded by different species of dark and light green base plants and adorned with floral sculpture balls that contain nearly 50,000 flowers can be found in the atrium.
Also, every three weeks the property replaces more than 5,000 seasonal flowering plants in matching color palettes to foster a dynamic environment.
Wynn Las Vegas unveiled the installations Nov. 25 and both the hotel and Mr. Bailey are promoting the work on social media pages.
Transcending craft
Many other luxury brands create public exhibitions to boast of their dedication to craftsmanship.
For instance, precision cut-crystal maker Swarovski is using Tumblr to generate awareness of its eleventh annual Crystal Palace think tank where a chosen creative visionary works to reevaluate the use of crystal.
Swarovski’s Tumblr has been building anticipation among design and brand enthusiasts through sneak peeks and teaser materials of this year’s participating architect and designer Guilherme Torres. Mr. Torres’ architectural installation, “Mangue Groove,” will be housed at Design Miami in Miami Beach, Florida, Dec. 4-8, where Swarovski has been a main sponsor since 2008 (see story).
Aside from acting as a stalwart for the artistic community, such projects give prospective consumers something ephemeral to marvel at.
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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