The Marriott International headquarter upgraded with Philips Lumious textiles. (All Photo Courtesy of Philips)

As one of the biggest hotel brands in the world, Marriott International needed a headquarters to match the scale of its reputation and place in the hospitality industry. The Marriott International Headquarters was built in 1979 in Bethesda, Maryland. The 74,322 m² (800,000 ft²) office building provides workspace for 3,000 employees daily. The lobby of this building was somewhat insignificant, small, and unattractive and needed an upgrade that would make the lobby more spacious, and add character and an inviting atmosphere where employees, designers, engineers, and potential business partners pass through daily.

The luminous panels were used as art installations in the main welcoming space.

The headquarters, in addition to its offices, features many hotel rooms and athletic centers that act as showrooms for potential partners that visit the Marriott International Headquarters. To provide a welcoming atmosphere, Vice President of Corporate Facilities Jim Young was looking for special interior design solutions. Young came across Philips luminous textile, an innovative way to transform any space, but especially the Marriott International Headquarters lobby. “I was fascinated when I first saw it, and decided immediately to incorporate it into our remodeled lobby,” said Young.

Marriott collaborated with architecture firm Gensler to design a space with four luminous textile panels in the lobby of the headquarters. Initially, these panels were installed for beautification purposes, such as displaying low resolution video and vibrant lighting patterns, but Young now considers the new addition a beautiful piece of art. Visitors passing through the lobby of Marriott’s headquarters were so intrigued, luminous textile is now being considered as a design solution for their hotels. The panels have the potential of personalization and softening acoustics, which enhances the ambiance of a lobby, restaurant, or other space.

A corner of the headquarter.

Visitors and employees stop and marvel at the vibrant, glowing panels in the lobby area, formerly an insignificant and unappealing passageway into the building. With panels from Philips Large Luminous Surfaces, the lobby of the Marriott International Headquarters has become a destination.

The luminous textiles and the surroundings.