The most seasoned of travelers escape to Phuket, Thailand, for the ultimate tropical getaway. Revered as the “Pearl of the Andaman Sea,” the rainforested island boasts white, sandy beaches with crystal-clear waters and curiously shaped limestone cliffs.

The Rosewood Phuket resort sits proudly along the island’s aptly named Emerald Bay—a glittering, verdant hideaway shaded by lush casuarina and palm trees. Lighting Design Director Ricardo Fernandez of BAR Studio illuminated the crown jewel of Phuket exclusively with SORAA LED lamps, including its rooms, villas, restaurants, bars, swimming pool, lobby, event spaces and outdoor areas. Read on to learn how Ricardo helped the renowned resort amplify its glimmer with SORAA.

SORAA: What did the client want your lighting design to achieve at Rosewood Phuket?

We have been working with the client for several years on a number of projects, including the Rosewood Beijing and Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. The client wanted our lighting approach to convey a sense of magic. In other words, we were tasked with crafting a unique yet warm and welcoming lighting experience for guests throughout the resort’s myriad spaces.

What lighting options did you consider before moving forward with SORAA?

SORAA was my first choice for all the downlights and other architectural luminaires. This was our first major attempt at using SORAA lamps for an entire project. After doing a bit of research ourselves on the SORAA website and comparing samples provided by the project’s lighting suppliers, we knew SORAA was the perfect fit for illuminating Rosewood Phuket.

Why did SORAA’s LED lamps match the specific needs of this project?

The warm color of SORAA’s LED lamps plus an array of accessories, such as the Snap System, provide the perfect solution for achieving a high-end hospitality design. We used SORAA’s MR16 LED lamps, including the SORAA BRILLIANT™ MR16 7.5W 3000K with 24-degree beam angle and the SORAA BRILLIANT MR16 7.5W 2700K with 10-degree beam angle. We paired the latter with beam spreaders and louver snaps to eliminate high angle glare. We also used the SORAA BRILLIANT AR111 12.5W 2700K with 9-degree beam angle and the SORAA BRILLIANT PAR30S 18.5W 2700K with 9-degree beam angle and louver snaps.

What were the biggest lighting challenges you faced when illuminating Rosewood Phuket? How did you solve them?

We face the same challenges with every lighting project: properly complimenting a space’s interior design while ensuring the lighting maintains its own visual appeal. Choosing the right LED lamps, beam spreads and anti-glare accessories helped us in this endeavor. Plus, our careful design approach permitted lighting effects to emerge and surprise guests. Concealing light sources as much as possible helped us create this sense of “magic” the client desired.

Did the project meet the client’s expectations?

The client was very satisfied. We didn’t experience any challenges with SORAA products and successfully created different moods across the entire resort.

Let’s talk about your approach to lighting. If you could write your overall philosophy about lighting in one sentence, how would you articulate it?

Lighting must emanate from the space. You must make the space the visual experience, not the opposite.

What lighting methods do you use in every project, regardless of the client or space?

I follow my philosophy and spend as much time determining the proper number of lights, their location and the maximum potential of their concealment.

What is your reaction to using SORAA today compared to other lighting technologies?

I strongly recommend that our clients choose SORAA for their lighting needs. The principal and designers at BAR Studio support this recommendation, as they have seen the fruits of our labor at Rosewood Phuket. Thank you, SORAA, for providing a magnificent product in this new era of LED lighting.