Mandated by Loto-Quebec and the Gatineau casino, Lightemotion worked closely with the architects of Sid Lee Architecture and Fortin Corriveau Salvail Damphousse architecture + design to create a direct symbiosis between architectural elements and light. The result is an immersive experience that begins at the threshold of the casino and continues through each of the hotel’s different sections.

“The lighting comfort was one of the most important guidelines,” says Roupinian, Lightemotion’s President and designer. The primary objective is to provide lighting without disturbing, the experience of the Montreal firm in museum lighting design was put to good use. Thus, the light is always integrated  in the architecture elements.

 “Just like a boomerang, architectural elements serve as reflectors to emanate light,” says Roupinian. “We have also found ways to break the light by using textures that are unnoticeable. It creates a soft lighting that allows visitors to feel like in a bubble.”

Innovation and creativity

Thanks to their experience with the mega resort of the Revel casino in Atlantic City, Lightemotion was able to highlight each space by using light in a creative and innovative way. The company has also created a majestic structure with luminous scales that became the focal point of the casino. With its lighting finesse, the Montreal firm has managed to highlight the points of interest of this institution.

Lightemotion’s biggest challenge for this long-term project was the casino’s business hours; it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. “It’s very difficult to do maintenance in a casino. We had to find a way to design lighting that requires no maintenance and has a perfect life span.” notes Roupinian. The Lac-Leamy Casino remained open throughout the duration of the renovations. 

About Lightemotion

The Lightemotion team is composed of lighting and theatre designers, lighting engineers, interior architects and marketing consultants from the four corners of the globe. The firm sets itself apart from others by its multidisciplinary team and its artistic approach, focusing on the needs of its customers. Able to intervene in five different languages, this eclectic team works with the same passion and technical rigor regardless of the size of a project.

With its expertise, the company has become a key player in architectural highlighting around the globe. The team has recently designed the lighting of the 125th and 148th floors of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai Mall Expansion. They also created the lighting of the largest train museum in Europe: Brussels’ Train World.

In Canada, we can note the 2014 Lighting Master Plan of Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Lightemotion is currently hard at work on several  lighting concepts in the Canadian Capital: The History Museum, the National Art Center and the Government Conference Centre and the East Block.  

To learn more about the architecture, see the press kit by Sid Lee Architecture 1303-01