MIAMI, Sept. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With
Celebrity Edge less than three months from its first
official sailing, Celebrity Cruises completes the final chapter of
the ship's transformational design story, with the reveal of iconic
spaces designed by renowned designers, Patrick Jouin and Sanjit
Manku of Jouin Manku Studio. This includes the
stunning space that will become the beating heart of the year's
most anticipated new ship, The Grand Plaza, yet another
venue designed to break from traditional cruise ship thinking and
shatter all expectations.
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"We couldn't be happier that the excitement and anticipation
around the launch of Celebrity Edge is growing each and
every day," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo,
President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. "We're thrilled to give
everyone another sneak peek of our transformational new ship with
the unveiling of The Grand Plaza, the ever-evolving epicenter of
Celebrity Edge, and even more beautiful installations
brought to life by the truly visionary Jouin Manku, who infused a
dynamism and energy that will be felt throughout the ship at almost
every turn."
THE HEART AND SOUL BEHIND THE HEART AND SOUL OF CELEBRITY
EDGE
With the aspiration to completely transform the way guests connect
to the world, Celebrity sought creative thinkers who were new to
the cruise industry to ensure every aspect of Celebrity Edge
would be a departure from traditional thinking about cruising.
Among those chosen were the Paris-based design duo of Jouin Manku, who are
celebrated for drawing inspiration from a multitude of cultures and
for merging cutting-edge technology with old-world craftsmanship.
They are credited with world-famous works such as the Alain Ducasse
au Plaza Athénée and the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel
Tower. Together, the visionaries collaborated with the Celebrity
team to bring these new concepts to life.
Jouin's connection to the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard was
also found to be far rooted beyond his work on Celebrity
Edge, noting: "The shipyard is very important for me and my
family: My grandfather worked at this very yard, and when he passed
away at a young age, they hired my grandmother so she could
continue to support her family. This project was a very emotional
one for me. Sanjit and I channeled that into our design, which
inspired our unique approach in showing the craftmanship."
WELCOME TO THE GRAND PLAZA
Mixing simplicity and modernity, The Grand Plaza takes inspiration
from the glamourous days of transatlantic travel. At a time when
cruise ships were at the heart of chic society, the center of these
ships were traditionally spectacular ballrooms, accented with
dramatic staircases and ornate chandeliers. They were social places
to meet, greet, dine, drink and dance. The Grand Plaza pays homage
to these powerful historic spaces and reinterprets them for the
21st century.
Spanning three decks at the heart of the ship, The Grand Plaza
acts as the epicenter of Celebrity Edge, which radiates an
energy that lures guests throughout the day, as it transforms both
physically and atmospherically. Guests are drawn to the space by
The Chandelier, a striking lighting feature – and art
installation – that rises over the Martini Bar to the
ceiling three decks above. Composed of five levels of 765 blades
illuminated by dynamic LED strips that change color from day to
night, The Chandelier weighs in at seven tons.
Here, guests will be transported to the lively piazzas of
Italy, of which this sprawling
5,167 sq. ft. space was also inspired. Home to many of the
incredible new specialty restaurants – including Raw on 5
and Fine Cut Steakhouse on Deck 5; Le Grand Bistro
and Café al Bacio on Deck 4; and the new Grand Plaza
Café on Deck 3 – The Grand Plaza truly is a grand space. At its
center, on Deck 3, guests will find the breathtaking next evolution
of the always-buzzing Martini Bar, one of the most popular venues
across Celebrity's fleet. Adorning the edges of The Grand Plaza are
intricately hand-stitched mesh screens, combining more than 13,500
pieces of metal, leather, and fabric.
In the morning, The Grand Plaza invites guests to enjoy a
cappuccino and a croissant at either of the cafés. Guests can
return to The Grand Plaza for afternoon tea or to indulge in a
pre-dinner cocktail while enjoying unexpected pop-up performances.
At nightfall, the energy transforms completely, and the space
becomes the social epicenter of the ship, coming alive with live
music.
TURNING THE TYPICAL INTO THE TRANSFORMATIVE
The Grand Plaza remains a highlight of Jouin Manku's involvement in
the design of Celebrity Edge, but their influence can be
felt throughout the ship.
Inspired by the thousands of hands that go in to the
construction of a ship – such as Jouin's grandfather, who was a
welder in the construction of the S.S. Normandie – Jouin
Manku designed the exposed corridor. Complete with authentic
welders' touches, architects' markings and engineers' notes, the
exposed corridor uncovers the bare hull of the ship leading to and
from The Grand Plaza and the main dining rooms. The space
transforms depending on the direction a guest is walking, like a
life-sized lenticular wall. One way, guests will see the unadorned
beauty of the ship's steel bones, while heading in the other
direction guests will see a sleek, modern design that starkly
contrasts the alternate view.
"When we were asked to work on The Grand Plaza, one of our
biggest inspirations were people in the shipyard who were able to
manipulate steel as if it were plastic," said Manku. "Their
awe-inspiring craftsmanship inspired us and had us asking ourselves
'How can we show the bones of the ship?' Because the bones are so
beautiful, you don't need to put a cover on them."
Jouin Manku's influence is also strikingly apparent in the
Main Dining Atrium, where they've taken the concept
of a staircase and turned it into a work of art. Hanging three
stories between the flights of stairs is yet another meaningful art
installation known as The Pendulum. The Pendulum base moves
ever so gently to the rhythms of the ocean to remind guests that
they are indeed moving and connected to the sea, even when they
cannot see it.
To learn more about Celebrity Edge and the transformative
spaces touched by Jouin Manku, visit
www.celebritycruises.com/edge/onboard-experiences/the-grand-plaza.
About Celebrity Cruises:
Celebrity Cruises' iconic "X" is the mark of modern luxury, with
its cool, contemporary design and warm spaces; dining experiences
where the design of the venues is as important as the cuisine; and
the amazing service that only Celebrity can provide, all created to
provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers' precious time.
Celebrity Cruises' 12 ships offer modern luxury vacations visiting
all seven continents. Celebrity also presents incredible cruise
tour experiences in Alaska and
Canada. Celebrity is one of five
cruise brands operated by global cruise vacation company Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL). For more information, dial
1-800-437-3111, visit www.celebritycruises.com, or call your travel
agent.
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SOURCE Celebrity Cruises