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What It Was

theWit Hotel was envisioned by owner/developer, ECD Company, and architectural firm, Koo & Associates, as a state-of-the-art hotel experience. The property combines glamour and sophistication with intellect, humor and wit. With breathtaking views of the Chicago River, the skyline, and Millennium Park, the hotel has 298 rooms and suites, a two story lobby, a full service spa, a roof-top bar, meeting, banquet, and entertainment space, including seven conference rooms, and a state of the art theater.

State and Lake, on the ground floor, is a masculine, modern space filled with warm, organic colors and vintage elements. The comfortable ambiance is enhanced by Executive Chef Bradley Manchester’s seasonal, chef-driven American dishes. Cibo Matto, on the second floor, sets the stage for an authentic Italian dining experience that is equally modern, exciting and flavorful. Roof, sitting atop theWit Hotel on the 27th floor, is a glamorous, year-round indoor/outdoor lounge, with stunning city views, roaring fire pits, handcrafted cocktails, live music, and a suspended, glass-enclosed table for eight that literally dangles 27 floors above the city.

What We Did

Lightswitch Architectural was charged with creating a range of lighting environments for theWit. Our role expanded to include acting as lighting manager for the entire building.

We took responsibility for communicating the local energy ordinance requirements, technology implementation, and coordination with facilities management. This role extended to the restaurants as well, where the lighting design team provided local support for The Johnson Studio. Lightswitch Architectural helped integrate the lighting designed for the restaurants with the balance of the building by coordinating luminaire and lamp types, specifying the dimming system, procuring materials, setting levels on the dimming system and focusing.

Why It Worked

Lightswitch Architectural contributed to the final staging of the restaurant lighting with our understanding of local ordinances, the client's needs and priorities, and the technology involved. The lighting systems in the hotel take energy efficiency and fiscal responsibility for both development and long term maintenance costs into account.


theWit received the "Best of 2009" Project of the Year award in the retail category from Midwest Construction.

Photographs copyright Wayne Cable Photography