Willowdale Hotel: Sophisticated Custom Lighting and Water Feature
The Willowdale Hotel is situated at the gateway to Denham Court, one of the most affluent suburbs in the Macarthur region of south-west Sydney. Bergstrom Architects designed the master plan for this modern pub on a greenfield site with a sports bar, family-focused bistro, and alfresco areas. Paul Kelly Design designed the hotel gaming area and engaged Di Emme to produce the bespoke lighting and water feature.
Polished anodised boxes on a steel subframe
The foyer lights are a series of boxes mounted on a steel subframe. The boxes are clad in metal sheeting with a polished anodised finish and acrylic diffusers delivering a warm dispersed light. The cladding is flush with the acrylic surface and the rounded corners enhance the sleek sophisticated design.
Six thousand individual lengths of chain link
The stunning interior lights are a series of interlocking ovals comprised of around 6000 individual lengths of chain link affixed to suspension frames with adjustable cables. In total there are approximately 3.5km of chain link in bright gold polished anodised aluminium. The frames were cut and rolled from stainless steel in Di Emme’s Leichhardt studio and anodised before final assembly.
Incorporating a water feature into the hotel design
There was no water feature in the architect’s original design, so Di Emme had to overcome some technical challenges to realise the client’s vision. The water feature is comprised of a shallow pool and a series of plinths of various heights. The plinths were fabricated in Di Emme’s Leichhardt workshop from folded anodised aluminium around an internal frame. The water feature is positioned on an expansion joint in the concrete slab and under an operable louvre system which exposes it the elements. The plumbing is integrated with the building’s system to prevent any overflow.
The client wanted a collection of crystals incorporated into the design. Di Emme fabricated custom fittings to support the crystals and they are individually illuminated to highlight their colour and form.