WestJet Elevation Lounge
Image
WestJetElevationLounge_BannerSize-01_2270x1335
Location
Calgary, AB
Project Size
9,300 sq. ft.
Year Completed
2020

Elevating the luxury lounge.

The WestJet Elevation Lounge offers a luxurious refuge for top-tier and premium travelers, with several distinct comfort zones to rest, eat, and work. The interior design blends home comforts, high-end luxury, and practical amenities, while interpretations of Alberta’s natural landscapes weave throughout the space. 

Smith + Andersen was engaged as the mechanical and electrical engineers, in addition to the lighting, communications, security, audio-visual, and intelligent integrated systems designers. Our team was keen to leverage our experience with national brands and deploying national programs in the systems design, as this is the first of its kind for the WestJet brand. The intent is for nation-wide roll-out and standardization of the design decisions made at this location. 
 

Elevating the luxury lounge.

The WestJet Elevation Lounge offers a luxurious refuge for top-tier and premium travelers, with several distinct comfort zones to rest, eat, and work. The interior design blends home comforts, high-end luxury, and practical amenities, while interpretations of Alberta’s natural landscapes weave throughout the space. 

Smith + Andersen was engaged as the mechanical and electrical engineers, in addition to the lighting, communications, security, audio-visual, and intelligent integrated systems designers. Our team was keen to leverage our experience with national brands and deploying national programs in the systems design, as this is the first of its kind for the WestJet brand. The intent is for nation-wide roll-out and standardization of the design decisions made at this location. 
 

Your own little corner of the world.

Cove lighting accentuates the bell-shaped ceiling, and arcs along either side of this feature to frame the lounge’s centerpiece bar below. High-output LED tape floods the cove with light, creating an even distribution that complements the soothing earth-tones and cozy feeling of the space. Recessed pot lights with 36-degree flood-style optical lenses provide a soft ambient glow in other zones.

 

In the event of an emergency...

One of the most unique features of this design and the lighting controls is that the main cove lighting throughout the space automatically becomes the emergency lighting if normal power is lost, illuminating to 100 per cent to provide clear and uniform egress lighting for guests to safely leave the lounge. In areas without cove lighting output, recessed remote heads concealed in walls and other structures emerge to highlight the exits if normal power is lost. There is no generator for the building; inverter units with battery heads are concealed within the electrical rooms so no devices were obvious in the space.

 

What time is it?

The client required consistent lighting levels and intuitive lighting controls for staff, so the lighting control system features four pre-programmed scenes (three mimicking “morning”, “afternoon” and “evening” light levels, and a fourth for functions) that can be applied to 24 individually controlled “zones” within the lounge. 

 

Save your energy.

Energy saving measures include custom VAV exhaust and make-up air systems, along with condensing hot water heaters and a dedicated heat recovery ventilator (HRV) system. Connectivity was another focus for the project, and the lounge includes not only WiFi, but also touchless self-serve entry, a digital menu service, interactive video games in the family space, and augmented reality art. 
 

Project Team