The Southwest Valley’s latest destination for luxury and entertainment, boasts 209 rooms, an expansive 83,000+ sf casino, a state-of-the-art sportsbook, captivating pool deck, and a variety of dining options ranging from casual to fine dining.
There are several distinct entries; the landscape is designed to reflect the character of the surrounding neighborhood and increases in size and magnificence as you approach the property. The main entrance, with its more intimate design, highlights the grandeur of date palms, signature Palo Verde trees, Washingtonia palms, southern live oaks, fan palms, Holly oak, and cork oak. The porte cochere entrance, surrounded by rows of oak trees and date palms, emanates a welcoming, yet sophisticated ambiance.
The east entry island invites guests with date palms and large oaks surrounding a multilevel water fountain, featuring large urns with olive trees and an enticing fire element that illuminates the night with excitement and color.
Moving towards the north entry, guests encounter a landscape adorned with large pines, Palo Verde, and cacti, accompanied by meandering rock groundcover. Pipe organ cacti and sable palms in low planters add a touch of elegance to this carefully curated space.
Durango’s landscape design incorporates mid-century-modern patterned textured walls, creating an upscale atmosphere. To promote water conservation, artificial turf is strategically placed in specific areas. The lush softscape embraces the desert landscape, featuring a variety of textured and flourishing plant material. Notably, 40-foot-tall Pine trees from Siegfried and Roy’s Las Vegas home have found a new home around the pool and parking garage, adding a touch of history and elegance to the surroundings.
A haven of relaxation, the “Bel-Aire Backyard” pool area features a central water feature/fountain, Baja ledge, chaise lounges, and cabanas providing respite from the desert sun. Surrounding the pool, majestic Medjool date palms enhance the atmosphere, creating a tropical oasis. Two poolside bars feature outdoor seating to indulge on thirst-quenching drinks and upscale eats. An adjacent event lawn is ample enough to host large-scale events, with space for a stage for live performances.
Durango takes the indoor/outdoor experience to the next level, offering spill-out patios for the sportsbook and restaurants. The “Eat Your Heart Out” food hall patio garden is adorned with agaves and cobble, creating a serene setting for patrons. Distinct water features at each restaurant patio are designed to complement the architecture, be visually appealing from various angles, and offer diners tranquil sounds. Outside the steakhouse, Nicco’s, the tiered water feature even showcases fire erupting from the fountain.
The country-club inspired George Sportsmen’s Lounge adds an extra layer of entertainment, featuring cornhole, ping-pong, outdoor gaming, and TVs for an immersive experience. Windows from the gaming area provide captivating views of the lush garden environs, seamlessly bringing the outdoors inside and enhancing the overall guest experience.
With its thoughtful design, Durango offers an array of amenities and environments for guests to discover.
Photo credits: Clint Jenkins, and pool photo courtesy of Christopher DeVargas
The magnificent Resorts World Las Vegas sits on 88-acres on the Las Vegas Strip where the iconic Stardust Hotel once stood.
Built in 1958, The Stardust Hotel was one of the original resorts on the Strip, and so upon its closing in 2006, many large trees were in peril of being demolished. However, engaged by the previous developer of the site, Lifescapes recognized the value of these trees and worked to save them before the hotel was imploded in 2007. Nurtured in an on-site nursery for nearly 15 years, upwards of 100 salvaged, mature, beautiful Southern Live Oaks, California Peppers, and Olive trees were planted at Resorts World Las Vegas to help convey a feeling of permanence and history to the landscape. This would not have been achievable otherwise since trees of this size are not available at commercial nurseries or are impossible to transport.
Resorts World Las Vegas consists of the Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords branded hotels, with a total of 3,500 hotel rooms, suites, and villas set within unique gardens across several levels on the stacked property. The landscape design grounds the crisp, contemporary lines of the architecture in lush, modern, textural, desert-inspired gardens that evolve as you move through it to the heart of the property. From bold, graphic striped gardens of crushed rock and artificial turf accented by the year-round colors of the Desert Museum Palo Verde trees along the Strip, guests traveling to the porte cocheres and entries find ‘neighborhoods’ of gardens lined with different tree types, such as Olives, California Peppers, Medjool Date Palms, and African Sumac.
Hidden within these ground-level gardens is the 46,000 sq. ft. Balinese-inspired oasis of the Ayu Dayclub. Featuring world-class DJs and day/night entertainment, revelers at Ayu enjoy four pools and spas, dotted with 33 luxury cabanas, that step up curving levels inspired by rice terraces that recall a hillside village. Canary Palms, Lady Palms, Giant Bird of Paradise, and different varieties of Bamboo are just a few of the types of plants that come together to realize the tropics in the desert.
Five stories above the casino, restaurants, and ballrooms, sits the 5.5-acre resort pool complex. Designed to evoke a luxury beachy vibe, the pool area is a fantasy escape for guests to explore the five unique garden experiences over nine bodies of water, which wrap and bend around one another creating an ever-unfolding journey. Destination pools cater to all moods and activities, like at the “see and be seen” experience of the long, arching Resort Pools; the playful Family Pool; the upscale theater-in-the-round feel of the Cabana Pool; and the hip, relaxed Bimini Pool set amongst clusters of palms. The private VIP Pool area offers an elevated experience that features a specialty bar and cabanas that look out across a lounging pool that steps down to dramatic, one-of-a-kind, 100’ long vanishing edge pool with unobstructed views of the Las Vegas Strip. Crockfords Villa and Palace suites also border the VIP pool area on this level, offering those guests their own luxurious private pool gardens.
The 1,000-room luxury hotel expansion to open in 2021 will feature a 2.5-acre pool area containing a large main pool with swim-up bar, as well as an oversized family pool. Well-appointed cabanas will surround both pools. In addition, there will be two large hot tub pools and fire pits for guests to gather around and enjoy outdoors.
Off the main hotel lobby, there is a large fountain that provides a dramatic foreground to the new pool area. A beautiful new, tree-lined promenade will connect the various spaces.
The stunning new entry will include large massings of flowering trees and shrubs and provide a dramatic statement and rhythm for guests driving into the new porte cochere. The oversized planted urns, decorative paving and lush layered planting help complement the dramatic overhead canopy and architectural elements.
Additional improvements throughout the expansion include the addition of large evergreen trees to help soften the generous parking areas and garage and open lush turf area for guests to meander through the new garden spaces.
Our goal was to bring a lush and rich layered landscape to rival the Strip resorts. Tall date palms provide a dramatic contrast to the hotel tower as well as provide a strong scale to the building façade and entries. Evergreen oak trees impart much needed shade and help soften the pedestrian pathways and parking areas. To complete the design story, we chose a rich tapestry of understory planting to add color and texture as well as tying in many of the plants found around the casino resort.
The Pool deck, although small in area, showcases many features found in larger resorts and casinos. A large whirlpool spa, generous swimming pool and lounge chaises offer guests a chance to enjoy the hot Las Vegas sun. There are tall Medjool date palms for dappled shade, oversized cabanas to provide all season enjoyment and a firepit for nighttime gathering with friends or family. The verdant backdrop of planting surrounds the pool area, and delivers an unapparelled experience.
The romantic, contemporary design features formal, tailored, lush gardens and vibrant floral patterns, while the floral theme spills out from the interior, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor space.
The perimeter landscape consists of 12m double royal palms, while the North, South and East entries are lined with fragrant citrus trees. The entire property contains over 2,300 trees, obtained from around the world and shipped in from Australia, Thailand, and mainland China.
Several garden environments make up the property; the executive office courtyard, with sculptural lattices, showcases two specimen pomegranate trees. The Sky Gardens overlook the China Sea- two, mirrored lush parterre gardens with focal garden gazing balls and potted Dracaena draco trees.
Five villa gardens, each with their own 40 m long private pools, feature arching laminar stream fountains, terraced lawns, and undulating topiary hedges, representing a dragon pattern.
The Performance Lake is the heart and electricity of the resort that calls everyone in. Everything in the design was to create an environment that is visually open for people to see from gondolas, rooms, and restaurants, as well as pedestrians and vehicles on the Cotai Strip. The main pool is set on podium at the base of the hotel tower to be a step-down garden that overlooks the fountains. At night, it’s also a viewing area for the spectacular water show.
The newly reimagined Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas includes updates to the property’s lengthy streetscape along Flamingo Blvd, strikingly lush entry drive, and the impressive Santorini-inspired KAOS dayclub and nightclub.
The design intent was to create visual impact and set the mood of the property from the moment you enter, with plantings and materials that inspire a beautiful desert escape for resort and club-goers. It’s lined with custom-designed pots spaced among undulating hedges. The entry road takes guests on a journey up the driveway past dramatic canary island date palms, and culminates in the newly remodeled porte cochere featuring black and beige concrete in a custom designed, contemporary pattern. The front door is also accentuated by an adjacent, planted living wall with a featured sculpture by sculptor Adam Parker Smith.
The multi-level 73,000 sf. club has two main pools, 12 side pools, 39 unique cabanas (most with their own private pool) and features 180 custom designed pots densely planted with full grown plant material. The state-of-the-art stage with lotus flower canopy has already hosted some of the hottest DJ/music acts in show business. The focal point of the dayclub is a towering 65-foot bronze grand sculpture by world renowned artist, Damien Hirst which rises from the center of one of the two main pools. Boasting the highest number of pools at any single resort in North America at one location, the Palms offers a luxe, contemporary oasis that can’t be found anywhere else in Las Vegas.
To achieve the desired aesthetic surrounding the clubs, the multi-level pool area is infused with a vast variety of palms, and other significant signature trees including: Canary Island Date Palms, Mexican Fan Palms, Sago Palms, Southern Live Oaks, Fruitless Olive, Sweet Bay and Laurel Carolina Cherry trees. Large pots planted with Chinese Windmill Palms and Zonal Geraniums adorn the main entrance steps.
The eclectic pots with lush Greek-inspired plant material draw your eye throughout the property, accentuating the different zones, eventually leading guests up the iconic staircase to the second level with private cabanas and glass-sided pools. The varying height and size of plant material creates a natural enclosure that intensifies the sense of privacy in and around the exclusive pools.
The renovation was conceived by the creative team of Lifescapes, with strong design direction from Station Casinos and architect Friedmutter Group, who helped the vision come to fruition.
Overlooking the Boston Harbor and skyline, the 5-Star Encore Boston Harbor Resort, which opened in June 2019, is home to 671 finely appointed rooms, a 210,000 sf casino, 15 dining venues, indoor and outdoor event space and more than 8 acres of lushly landscaped gardens.
Guests arriving on the property experience an oasis of colorful flowers and verdant beauty, a significant design component of the Wynn Resort properties. The Oak Plaza promenade is lined with majestic spruce, Nellie Stevens holly, and fully-grown Japanese maple trees, as well as flower beds with seasonally changing color in a lush, park-like setting. Trees are strategically situated to allow unobstructed views of the marquee sign and river views beyond.
Once inside Encore Boston Harbor, the luxuriant interior garden is anchored by four voluminous, 20’ ficus trees which create a frame for the centerpiece – a colorful carousel designed by Preston Bailey. Six thousand floral containers of annual color will change every 2-3 weeks, to keep the entry experience fresh and welcoming to all who visit.
The quarter mile, 17′ wide pedestrian harborwalk and parterre garden features an elegant gazebo, an abundance of benches and viewing opportunities, informational signage, boat dock access, connections to the many resort gardens, and lush verdant space with magnificent floral displays. The formal hedges wind among the seasonally changing flowers which offer year-round color, while grand, colorful red maple trees line the Southern portion. Jaume Plensa’s three, 10’ tall bust sculptures accentuate the center of the promenade experience.
The South Lawn boasts 27,000 sf of functional lawn area for events of all sizes, enclosed in a bouquet of mature evergreen and deciduous trees and lined by an elegant flower-lined formal garden.
There is a unique 10,000 sf “green roof” garden that adds visual interest for the harborside hotel rooms and gym above. The oversized floral pattern, reminiscent of designer Roger Thomas’ familiar motif, are filled with thousands of vibrant and colorful flowers framed by boxwood hedges and white pebblestone borders.
The quality, beauty, and elegance of Encore Boston Harbor elevated the bar for the Boston area, and the evergreen landscape with its densely lush planting and colorful accents make the waterfront location truly iconic, inviting and special.
*Special thanks to Patrick Chadwick, Director of Horticulture and Floral, at Encore Boston Harbor; and Shadley Associates who served as the local landscape architect for entitlements and as designer of the Mystic Shoreline.
Photo credits: Barbara Kraft and Roger Davies
Now, the largest Four-Diamond Resort on the West Coast, Pechanga Resort and Casino’s expansion provides multiple experiences with an added 568 rooms and suites, five pools, a poolside dining area and swim-up bar, family pool with slide and beach entry, four whirlpool spas (one with a natural rock waterfall feature), a two-story standalone luxury spa, two new restaurants, and a green roof garden/ Zen space that features native plant species, private patios, and Native American art installations atop a new 40,000 square-foot ballroom.
The centerpiece of the pool complex, The Cove, is the 7,600 sf zero-edge main pool surrounded by well-appointed cabanas, and features a swim-up bar and relaxing lounges on a Baja ledge.
Overall, the expansion involves more than 1,200 trees (such as Southern Magnolia, Holly Oak, Japanese Blueberry, Camphore Tree and White Striped Agave) and 9,000 lush and colorful regional shrubs and plants (Golden Variegated Sweet Flag, Variegated Dwarf Lily of the Nile, Blue Flax Lily, Dwarf Variegated Mirror Plant, Gold Lantana, Purple Pixie® Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum, Red Apple, Barrel Cactus, Coppertone Stonecrop, and Huntington Carpet Rosemary).
Respectful of the culture and history of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, we used native materials and relocated four large oak trees to the new expansion (the indigenous oak trees are sacred to the Indians because of their history providing shelter and food to the Pechanga people). There’s even a Cultural Garden off the ballroom showcasing works of local, native artists; with fire pits, a water feature, indigenous rockwork, and decomposed granite strolling paths.
By embracing the natural views and incorporating current, modern trends, we enhanced the existing surroundings while increasing the diverse offerings for guests.
Paradise City is the first fully integrated entertainment and gaming resort complex totaling 83 acres in Incheon, South Korea. Offering an unparalleled guest experience, this mega-resort combines a diverse range of hospitality, gaming, art gallery, retail amenities, and luxury spa that allow guests to experience leisure, beauty, and entertainment like no other in Northeast Asia.
The property encompasses 12 facilities, including a five-star hotel totaling 711 rooms, a family wing and pool villas, a premium casino equipped with state-of-the-art systems, and a K-style-themed convention center decked with a full-service entertainment bar.
Lifescapes International designed a large Las Vegas-style main entry, wedding gardens, private villas, and gardens that flow throughout the interior and exterior of the project, while infusing vibrant landscaping throughout the main resort-style pool, complete with an outdoor bar and private cabanas for an exciting night-life setting.
Italian villa elements and Mediterranean motifs, in addition to “hallyu” or Korean-pop culture, inspired the landscape design for this resort, which includes interior gardens and outdoor accent plantings with a spectrum of color and texture. The convergence of different cultures, including East and West, was balanced against a backdrop of indigenous trees and plants native to South Korea, including Hornbeam Bonsai, Weeping Willow, Cherry Blossoms, Konara Oak Trees, Sawleaf Zelkova, and Loropetalum, among others.
Lifescapes’ vision was to bring the vibrant energy of Las Vegas to Korea by integrating water features and immersive gardens, thereby heightening the dramatic element of the setting and cultivating an exceptional entertainment-driven experience.
Lifescapes designed the entirety of the landscape environment, including the legendary mountain, which became a fire and water volcano. Steve Wynn, who had the vision of designing a tropical, South Seas oasis in the middle of a harsh, barren desert, called the iconic volcano the real billboard for the hotel.
The impressive landscaped areas include the interior conservatory atrium which sits under a 90′ high dome, known as the “rain forest.” It features a combination of real, artificial, and preserved plant materials with a myriad of waterfalls, lakes, and streams that meander through the gardens. Other amenities include The Dolphin Habitat, Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and the White Tiger Habitat.
When The Mirage opened in 1989, it was the first casino/resort in Las Vegas in 16 years, paving the way for billions of dollars in development along the Strip.
Additional photos provided by Ricky Barnard.