Breath-taking realisation of the atrium, Radisson Collection Grand Place Hotel in Brussels - from the artistic specification to the opening

The atrium of the Radisson Collection Grand Place Hotel in Brussels shines in new splendor after the renovation. The circular lamps particularly catch the eye of everybody when entering the hall. Not visible to the viewer, GIS motors inside the 9 imposing lighting fixtures ensure that the lamp systems, which can weigh up to 800 kg, are safely held and moved.

Radisson project director Mr. Andres Nistal told us in a short interview, where and how the GIS chain hoists were in use.

• How important was the complete renovation of the hotel?
For the company Radisson, the complete renovation of the Collection Hotel in Brussels was very important and one of their key projects in 2018. Radisson Design developed the project and organised an international architectural competition. The awarded team was Rafael de la Hoz Arquitectos from Spain. On one hand, it was an amazing art design with many outstanding features and on the other hand, it was a big challenge for the Radisson Corporate team to turn the breath-taking designed project to the reality.

• What facilities were included in the project?
The hotel needed to renovate 282 rooms located on 6 floors, including 24 suites and a 150 square meter presidential suite. The hotel had also 18 meeting rooms, an executive lounge and a fitness centre to renovate. On top, 2 restaurants (Shanghai kitchen at the entrance and Stoke Grand Place at the atrium) and the bar, located in the middle of the ground floor.

• What are some of the outstanding features?
Many! The new 2-story glass front, providing transparency from the inside to the outside, the new bar, the new restaurants, the new meeting rooms and finally the new impressive 9 luminaires located in the atrium.

• What has been the biggest challenge of the luminaires project in the atrium?
To bring the concept design to life!
There were so many details, which were to consider turning the unique luminaires to reality.
By the way, the project started in December 2018 and ended in May 2020. All the different craftsmen worked under difficult conditions, due to the hotel being open during the reconstruction period and due to COVID-19 protective measures having to be observed.

• Can you provide us with some figures of the luminaires Project?

• The dimension of the atrium is approx. 30m x 20m
• Nine luminaires creating a passing through ceiling which warms the cold atmosphere of the atrium
• Two luminaires of 5 m diameter in single version, two 5 m luminaires in tandem version and five luminaires of 3,5 m diameter single version
• Each one of them is held by stainless steel wire cables of 14 mm diameter
• Approx. weights of the luminaires:
  5 meter tandem 800 kg
  5 meter single 470 kg
  3,5 meter 360 kg
• To clean the luminaires and carry out service works, they needed electric movement on each luminaire
• Each single luminaire comes with one GIS electric chain hoist LP500/1NL and the two tandem luminaries with one LP1000/1NL, electric motor from the manufacturer GIS all in D8 PLUS execution.

• What were the highlights of the lamp’s project?
The great support of all involved parties in the project: designers, structural engineers, manufacturer, suppliers, the partnership with Huchez and the key help of GIS who provided an extraordinary technical and presence support from their headquarters in Switzerland. All of them are not only great professionals but also amazing people.