Prize(s) Winners in Hospitality Lighting Design
Lighting Design/Product Company Within Light Studio
Lead Designers Wes Burdett
Other Designer's names Andres Trujillo
Interior Design Company Curioso
Client Toast Hospitality
Photo Credits Daniel Kelleghan
Completion Date October 2023
Project Location New Buffalo, Michigan
Entry DescriptionMarina Grand Resort, nestled along Lake Michigan’s shores offers a tranquil getaway that embodies lakeside living. Located in New Buffalo, it’s a favorite retreat for Chicagoans and a beloved restaurant for locals year-round.
In reimagining the resort's public spaces, we aimed to create an atmosphere that is elegant, intimate and filled with warmth. Our lighting design employs decorative table lamps and pendant lights to forge a residential feel, enhancing the relaxed ambiance and enriching the guest experience.
Guests enter a multifunctional lobby that serves as a café by day and a lively social scene by night. Evoking old-world charm with dark wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, it showcases local art and photography. Strategic lighting, including adjustable downlights and integrated LED tapes, creates a gentle glow that invites exploration.
Adjacent is the serene lounge, flooded with natural light and centered around the fireplace, its welcoming hearth. A mix of adjustable downlights and chandeliers fosters relaxation and encourages conversation.
This design extends to Bentwood Tavern which buzzes to life in the evenings. Our lighting design enhances intimacy, with downlights softly spotlighting tables along curved banquettes. Integrated lamps at the bar and on shelving add a warm, inviting glow, ensuring guests feel at home.
Sustainability ApproachIn western Michigan, where this project is located, the sun sets as early as 4 p.m. in the winter and as late as 10 p.m. in the summer. Our lighting scenes needed to adapt to these varying daylight conditions, rather than simply being scenes for just lunch and dinner. We recommended a centralized control system that adjusts to each day's sunset time specific to this location, transitioning the lighting scene at the appropriate moment each day. This approach allowed us to dim the lights when they weren't needed, saving energy and reducing heat stress on the LEDs and drivers, thereby extending their lifespan.
Company DescriptionWithin Light Studio is an architectural lighting design firm committed to enhancing how people feel and engage with the built environment.
Established in 2020 by Mara Villegas and Wes Burdett, and with studios in Los Angeles and Chicago, Within Light Studio is the culmination of over a decade spent in luxury hospitality lighting design. Each project in their global portfolio — be it restaurants, bars, or hotels – has shaped their dual roles as both artists and engineers. For Mara and Wes, the design philosophy is clear: lighting and the human experience are inextricably linked.
