The Olympic Villa in Phnom Penh, capital city of Cambodia, is a project that stands out for its excellence in every realm. The building recalls the architectural idiom of traditional local architecture, with pale colours serving as the background for decorated volumes, embellished with exclusive materials, gilded finishes and prestigious details, in both the interiors and the hotel’s extensive outdoor spaces.
The design of the outdoor areas is based on skilful arrangement of wellness and leisure areas on different levels, including a splendid swimming pool. In this exclusive setting of contemporary luxury, Sicis transforms the swimming pool into a marvellous kaleidoscope of colours displaying an infinite range of dynamic colours and reflections. The idea is that of a precious gem set in the perimeter of the villa grounds, amplifying the guests’ sensation of privacy and relaxation and allowing them to enjoy a truly unique experience in a constantly changing scenario.
The shape of the big pool is the result of union of regular geometric shapes to form an organic figure with a classic hierarchy, also including a hydromassage pool, featuring elegant connections, sophisticated details and prestigious accessories in the furnishings, technical components and style of the building. A green wall incorporating a fountain decorated with an artistic mosaic showing off all the company’s skill interacts with the colours of the materials used to line the pool: steps and walls made of Emerald mosaic from Sicis’ Murano Collection and the revolutionary patented Vetrite system for backlit swimming pools covering the bottom of the pool.
The system revolutionises the look of the wellness area, making the pool a dramatic as well as a functional addition. This unique patented solution combines design, technology and functionality in an innovative product employing the patented Neptune® system, an ultralow voltage backlighting technology developed specifically for aquatic environments. The project is inspired by the success of opalescent Vetrite maxi-slabs, offering unique aesthetic qualities and creation of dramatic backlit spaces.
Sicis designed and engineered the solution to respond to the requirements of luxury hotels, spas, resorts and residences, offering different types to provide architects and their clients with a tool permitting unlimited creativity. Every pool can in fact be customised with a vast range of over 100 colours and decorative motifs made to measure, permitting adaptation of the design to suit any size and architectural style. Vetrite slabs are not only beautiful but very low-maintenance, with a smooth, non-porous surface that is resistant to chemicals and UV rays to ensure long-lasting brilliant colour. The innovative modular system makes it easy to replace decorations and light fixtures without compromising on impermeability, allowing pools to be updated or customised without invasive work.
For the 98 square metre pool in the Olympic Villa, the choice fell upon the deep colours of the Gem Glass Opalescent collection, in 120x120 cm square slabs with a thickness of 10 mm. Gem Glass is a glass material available in a variety of colours, a one-of-a-kind collection inspired by the mesmerising qualities of worked gemstones: plates of glass incorporating the veining of precious stones, the hues of volcanic rock and lunar landscapes.
The collection includes 38 gems characterised by different colours and forms of expressiveness, available with four different finishes (chrome, opalescent, satin and solid) in thicknesses that vary depending on their use. Opale Boulder, the material chosen for this project, features different hues of green in explosions of colour, constantly changing in hue and adding energy to the image through the book-matched arrangement of the slabs, reproducing the look of natural stone. The Neptune® system runs on very low voltage, eliminating all risk of electric shock, while Vetrite slabs are treated with a special non-slip finish to ensure the utmost dependability in even the most challenging environments.
