MEDIA RELEASE PR37656
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects' First Hotel-Casino Shines in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
ARIA Resort & Casino Opens at CityCenter
Located at the heart of CityCenter, Las Vegas' new 67-acre urban center, ARIA
Resort & Casino is the latest work by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. The 4,000-room
ARIA is the first hotel-casino designed by the firm, known for such buildings as the
Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong, and
the World Financial Center in New York. The project, opened Dec. 16, is a joint
venture between MGM MIRAGE and Infinity World Development Corp. and includes
buildings designed by several internationally renowned architecture firms.
"With ARIA, there was an interchange of ideas," said Cesar Pelli, Senior
Principal of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. "The gathering of so many creative people
energized us and made us reach for higher goals."
The tallest structure in CityCenter, ARIA Resort & Casino redefines the Las Vegas
skyline and creates a strong sense of space. The 3.8 million-square-foot hotel-casino
complex is comprised of two counterpoising, curvilinear towers joining to form an
open center. Constructed of steel and glass, the towers transform as they reflect the
changing sky and the lights of Las Vegas.
"Our buildings are a composition of shimmering glass surfaces shaded from the
sun, enclosing concentrations of activities in an exciting urban place," said Fred
Clarke, Senior Principal.
Consistent with CityCenter's scale and commitment to sustainable design, ARIA is
the world's largest hotel to achieve a LEED Gold rating. Pelli Clarke Pelli
Architects has had a long involvement with sustainable design, with such credits as
one of the earliest LEED-rated office towers and the country's first LEED Gold and
LEED Platinum residential towers. Sustainable design strategies for ARIA result in a
30 percent improvement in energy efficiency and an estimated savings of 31 million
gallons of water each year. ARIA's primary energy-saving feature is its curtain wall,
which uses a new generation of glass coatings that let daylight in while blocking the
sun's heat-producing rays.
The complex includes a 150,000-square-foot casino; 45,000 square feet of retail
space; 125,000 square feet of dining, bar, and lounge space; a 300,000-square-foot,
three-level conference center; an 80,000-square-foot, two-level spa building; a
215,000-square-foot pool deck; and an 1,800-seat theater for Cirque du Soleil.
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects was also involved in the selection of art for ARIA,
continuing the firm's long practice of collaborating with leading artists, a history
that includes projects like Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., the
Minneapolis Central Library, and the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Artwork in ARIA
includes works by Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, and Tony Cragg. Lin's "Silver River", an
84-foot sculpture of the Colorado River, is the artist's first in Las Vegas. Holzer's
"VEGAS" is a 250-foot LED sign spelling out the artist's signature messages. Cragg's
three stainless steel sculptures are "Bolt", "Bent of Mind", and "Untitled" (tall
column).
About Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects:
Founded in 1977 by Cesar Pelli and Fred Clarke, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
(www.pcparch.com) has designed some of the world's most recognizable buildings. The
firm's broad portfolio includes hotels, office buildings, academic buildings,
libraries, performing art centers, museums, research centers, residences, and master
plans. The work of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects reflects the belief that a firm must
not be constrained by a signature style, but that great design arises from
collaboration with clients and a respect for each project's environmental, economic,
and social contexts. The firm has been honored with critical acclaim and hundreds of
design awards.
About CityCenter
between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. CityCenter is a
joint venture between MGM MIRAGE and Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of
Dubai World. CityCenter features ARIA, a 61-story gaming resort; luxury non-gaming
hotels including Las Vegas' first Mandarin Oriental and Vdara Hotel & Spa; Veer
Towers, the development's only strictly residential buildings; and Crystals, a
500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district. At the forefront of
sustainability, CityCenter is one of the world's largest green developments.
SOURCE: Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
CONTACT: Janet Yoder of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects,
+1-203-777-2515,
jyoder@pcparch.com
NEWS 
