When it comes to a $690-million redevelopment, every detail needs to be perfect—including the landscape architecture.
Such was the case for the newly reimagined Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, which turned to landscape architectural firm Lifescapes International for design elements and installation for the property’s lengthy streetscape along Flamingo Blvd., lush entry drive, and the Santorini-inspired KAOS dayclub and nightclub.
The multi-level 73,000-sq.-ft. 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 stage offers a lotus flower canopy.
Adam Kober, principal and project designer for Lifescapes International, said the company’s goal was to create “visual impact from the moment you travel up the resort driveway with plantings and materials that inspire a beautiful desert escape for resort and club-goers.”
He added, “The Palms Casino Resort has a fresh, contemporary ambiance created by upgraded finishes and lush planting. The Palms’ landscape creates a welcoming, refreshing respite from the harsh Vegas climate.”
The process was a collaborative one. “The talented team at Lifescapes International, with strong design direction from Station Casinos and architect Friedmutter Group, helped the vision come to fruition,” Kober said. “We’re extremely fortunate to work with people that possess such impeccable taste and vision.”
Along W. Flamingo Rd., the Lifescapes International team designed the overall landscape ambiance to tell the story and set the mood of the property. The new streetscape is 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 Brooklyn-based sculptor Adam Parker Smith.
“The arrival experience has been transformed from a barren, desert landscape with minimal planting to a lush green garden that includes a signature row of beautiful Canary Island Date Palms that line the entry drive, which immediately welcome the guests as they drive up toward the porte cochere,” he said. “It definitely feels like ‘The Palms’ now.”
“Another signature moment is the entry into the pool area,” he added. “ As guests meander their way toward the water, a dramatic sense of discovery has been created with the giant sculpture that is nestled within tall palm trees around one of the two main swimming pools. It definitely makes for an extraordinary Instagram selfie moment.”
To achieve the desired aesthetic surrounding the clubs, Lifescapes International’s team of renowned professionals infused the multi-level pool area 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.
“I think the pool area is a smash hit,” Kober said. “You definitely feel like you’ve been transported to somewhere along the southern European coast. The many glass-sided pools; 80-plus eclectic planted pots; dramatic Canary Island date palms as well as a planting palette containing Mexican Fan Palms, Sago Palms, Southern Live Oaks, Fruitless Olive, Sweet Bay and Laurel Carolina Cherry trees; private cabanas; multi-tiered environment; and many other amenities are quickly making this pool area one of the most talked-about pool party venues.”
