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Gila River Resorts & Casino - Santan Mountain

Awards Category

Hospitality Architecture - Built

Project Summary

Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Santan Mountain is a state-of-the-art gaming destination carefully placed amongst the San Tan Mountains. This pristine property boasts the largest casino sportsbook in the state, a 3 concept casual dining area, high-end but approachable sit down restaurant, all the latest slots and table games, ballroom space with an outdoor garden for special events, luxurious High Limit Room, plus so much more!

Project Narrative

The main casino is centered around the idea of bringing the texture, light, and garden elements of the outdoors inside. Columns in the space are layered with mirrors and bubbled glass that mimics the water of the Gila River - the life force of the people living in the valley. The main carpet features the blooming saguaro and the slotted ceiling and circular skylights raise the eyes upwards towards the heavens. The smart glass was incorporated into the building envelope creating the perfect amount of light streaming into the building at every time of day. The glass has an intelligent control system that tints and clears based on a predictive algorithm and real-time weather data. This creates a unique experience within the casino, as most casinos do not incorporate natural light.

Sustainable Design & Materials

Santan Mountain Casino utilizes smart glass as it’s exterior glazing solution. This glass can automatically adjust its tint to regulate the amount of the sunlight entering a building. This helps in reducing the need for artificial lighting and minimized the load on heating, ventilation, and HVAC systems. By optimizing natural light and managing thermal gain, smart glass can contribute to decreased energy consumption in the building, promoting sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The natural light also has a great effect on the user. People tend to thrive and be more comfortable when they have access to daylight and view of the outdoors.

Project Stats

Square Feet

160000

Green Building Designation(s)

Date of Completion

June 2023

Project Location

7101 Gilbert Rd, Chandler, AZ 85249, USA

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