Royal Palace

Description

Location: Tangier, Morocco
USE: Residential
Scope: FaÇade Lighting Design

This private residence is a beautiful blend of traditional Moroccan style and contemporary architecture, located on a breathtaking mountain in Tangier overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The lighting approach remained consistent throughout the project, despite the fact that the activities held within this complex were diverse, as were the buildings in terms of their relevant proportions and distribution. As a result, UMAYA created a ‘lighting prioritization’ system for each individual building, taking into account its location within the overall compound as well as its intended use.

Our lighting design strategy consisted of I emphasizing the architectural vocabulary and (ii) complementing it with the overall ambient luminescence.

The Moroccan arch is a delicate blend of a patterned multi-foil curved structure and its ability to span and cover large volumetric spaces. The warm wash on the inner arch surfaces, as well as the graze of the textures on them, were intricate. We sought to avoid any light spill onto adjacent surfaces as a key strategy for increasing the contrast between the various architectural elements and thus increasing the visual impact on the observer. The floral motifs (Arabesques) were gently grazed, allowing the geometric shapes to take a subtle, yet appealing, position within the night-time arrangement.

Another visual component that was revealed adequately to mark the building’s boundaries was the Zellige tiling at the upstands. The visual connection between the architectural elements was balanced, and the shade transition was smooth and appealing. Deliberate care in establishing the contrast ratios allowed the elements’ exposure to be balanced and an inviting ambiance to be achieved.