Kempinski Hotel Bahrain: A new level of hotel luxury has arrived in Manama.

This 5 star hotel is one of the finest developments to be completed recently in Middle East and is home to one of SmartGlass Internationals largest projects to date with the supply of 750 panels over 14 storeys.



Hotel bathroom interiors



Designers and developers are looking to the hotel bathroom as the new frontier of the guestroom experience, turning what has long been a mostly functional space into a sanctuary and means of escape. Interior designers are responding in several ways, in particular by opening up closed and cluttered bathrooms through increasing the levels of light and space.

 

Woods Bagot along with ourselves at SmartGlass International have taken this to the next level with the installation of LC SmartGlass between the hotel bedroom and bathroom. LC SmartGlass is an electronically switchable material that changes from clear to opaque at the flick of a switch.







SmartGlass International



SmartGlass International specialise in the hospitality, commercial and healthcare sectors providing switchable glass solutions to projects small and large across the globe.



All LC SmartGlass panels are bespoke manufactured using a lamination process which encapsulates a PDLC film between 2 or more glass sheets.  Using a minute electrical current, users can immediately switch the LC SmartGlass from clear to private (opaque) and vice versa.







LC SmartGlass for hotel bathroom interiors



Smart Glass is part of a broader orientation toward the increasing use of technology and innovation in bathrooms. Advancing technology is allowing guests to have more input in the setup of the bathroom, reflecting their personal preferences. Consumers are responding well to the opportunity of tailoring their environment, from lighting and temperature to sound and smell.



Technology also plays a big part in sustainability. Continuing advances in electronics and sensors are allowing more bathroom products to be designed to respond to the timely needs of consumers. For example, digital shower technology and sensor activated taps are saving water through intelligent application.



The bathroom is now key to the guest experience with functionality fusing effortlessly with contemporary style. Hotels need to respond to recent bathroom design trends as consumer expectation continues to grow. As the world becomes smaller, hotels need to make better use of the space they have and LC SmartGlass is providing the ideal solution for this.







Client: Majid Al Futtaim

Operator: Kempinski

Architect: Woods Bagot

Project Managers: Mace

Consultants: MEP Mott MacDonald

Open: Summer 2011



Originally electronic curtains had been specified but further investigation found this option to be expensive to maintain and difficult to operate. This not only lets more light into the en-suite bathroom but also gives the impression of increased space.



LC SmartGlass combines the functionality of an opaque wall with the style and lighting of clear glass. With glass being inherently thin, hotel designers are turning ever more toward it to save space and inject style. This use of glass ties in with the prevailing trend of hotels pursuing clean, minimalist styles in room design.



Our latest technology is allowing guests to have more input in the setup of the bathroom, reflecting their personal preferences, the bathroom is key to the guest experience.



LC SmartGlass



LC SmartGlass offers privacy on demand at the flick of a switch matching the criteria of the design brief entirely. Bespoke remote control systems were designed and supplied for each room.



This modern design element precisely matches the image that the Kempinski Bahrain wishes to portray; a stylish and contemporary 5 star destination hotel amongst the best in the Gulf.



LC SmartGlass is an easily cleaned, low energy and low maintenance material which is ideal for this application. LC SmartGlass is a class A rated safety glass conforming to BS EN 12600 and is rated to IP X7 BS EN 60529. This ensures a high level of performance in such demanding surroundings.