Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Royal Contract Lighting is pleased to be a part of the $25 million renovation of the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Architect/design firm Stonehill & Taylor made a 'locavore' statement in both concept and product selection for the Hyatt, using elements that reference Minnesota's culture and native industries, and sourcing the majority (80%) of the design products within North America.

"We are proud to complete a project of this size and aesthetic quality with the majority of it made in North America," said Michael Suomi, principal and VP interior design at Stonehill & Taylor. "We didn't just want to evoke localization through décor and culinary choices. We wanted to show that we can in fact have our hotel work make a difference by maximizing impact on the local economy and minimizing environmental footprint."

The emphasis on eco-friendliness, including local sourcing and social sustainability, is gaining momentum in the hospitality industry worldwide. The Hyatt Regency Minneapolis project served as a case study for designing locally at a large scale with demonstrable results, including shorter delivery times, a budget on par with sourcing abroad and an expanded collaboration by designers with American industries.

The design team, together with purchasing agents The Stroud Group, worked hard in developing new products with domestic manufacturers to meet the design criteria. "Our work is the result of our tireless search for superior materials, furniture and decorative items from the region that fit our design vision" said Suomi. The pieces chosen represent the best of local craftsmanship, while giving the design a sophisticated, artistic edge.

Royal Contract Lighting was commissioned to manufacture three types of public space fixtures for the Hyatt Regency's new ballrooms and meeting rooms.

  

Nineteen modern floating ring fixtures, ranging in diameter from 4 feet to 7 feet, were developed with an internal reflective LED strip. This unique lighting technique creates a "halo" effect at the bottom of the fixture.  

For a second ballroom, Royal Contract Lighting created stunning cloth shade chandeliers clad in gold organza, measuring 8 feet in diameter.

The third public space called for a contemporary steel and crystal lantern fixture. Manufactured with laser cut ribs, a gold finish and more than 10,000 pieces of 30% lead crystal, each lantern measures 10 feet in diameter and 4 feet in height.

Royal Contract was also selected to provide on-site installation management and assistance. Since they were to be installed as part of a renovation project, the challenge was to manufacture all of the fixtures so that they could be brought into the building and transported to the sixth floor in a standard-sized service elevator. Royal Contract's engineering department designed the fixtures to be manufactured in small sections and assembled on-site.

To stay within the client's budget parameters, Royal Contract also used innovative strategies to reduce shipping costs from Massachusetts to Minnesota. The fixtures were manufactured and packaged in sections that would make the best use of space in domestic shipping containers, reducing the number of containers needed from five to two.