Fontainebleau Casino Resort, Las Vegas, USA 5M. sq.ft. of casino podium, hotel high rise and conventiona above garage. (expected to be completed in Fall 2009) SD, DD, CD. Senior Design Architect- Project Manager/ PSDG

This building was 70% complete and stopped due to owner’s bankruptcy. I worked on this project for almost 2 years as project manager managing a team of architectural production, interior designers, and lighting designers up to 30 people. Steelman Partner was responsible for master planning and interior architecture.
This project is considered successful because it is the first green Casino Resort project registered for LEED Silver in Las Vegas in 2007. As the interior architecture design team project manager I took part in all LEED meetings with contractors, engineers led by a LEED AP. The project was successful as it united all consultants who at the time were rather skeptical about how casino type project can be both luxury and green.
The process was challenging as most casinos did not have to meet LEED standards at the time and the project was already in 50% construction document stage. There was a lack of ‘good looking’ products in lighting, plumbing fixtures, interior finishes, and etc. suitable for high end design standards that also met LEED requirements and budget constraints. For example, during the process, the color of vision glass in the hotel curtain wall became bluer to reduce heat gain. The blue color affected the interior color scheme by adding a tint of blue to just about everything and caused redesign of the entire interior color scheme. Unfortunately, due to time and budget constraints, the team spent most time on meeting the LEED points instead of innovative technologies. LEED points will lead to LEED certification so the owner can receive the promised incentives from the local government. Some emerging technology was still in the infant stage and not ready to be used for the project.