In a casino like The Mirage, there is a very different architectural challenge. The Mirage, with its established tropical theme, requires the Design Group to work within set parameters.
But that doesn’t take away the fun. Director of Interior Design Lori Mattes worked at her desk for months, surrounded by pre-Columbian masks. The company bought the 600-year-old artifacts initially for another project, but they seemed better suited for the AVA lounge at The Mirage.

The lounge that existed prior to the AVA lounge blended into its surroundings so well, people would walk right by, rarely stopping to patronize. Task number one: create a visual sight line and overall identity. Working with the tropical theme of The Mirage, AVA was to be modeled after a contemporary Southeast Asian living room, with all the accoutrements integral to any upscale residence.

Re-enter Ms. Mattes’ pre-Columbian masks. The art walls of AVA lounge not only provided the much-needed identity references but helped visitors to recognize the space from far distances. Once inside, the walls divide areas to create smaller rooms and semi-privacy. “The number of trees in the Atrium were reduced,” according to Smith, “while keeping with the properties’ tropical theme.”

“Although each property has its own ‘brand,’ the Design Group is attempting to create cohesion between them to reinforce the overall MGM MIRAGE image,” says Smith. “This gives the Design Group an extreme amount of freedom to define the way guests experience MGM MIRAGE – that means the ability to define a new vocabulary for our properties.”