"Club MoBay, with its rattan and wood element, exudes an earthy feel that's more welcoming than other lounges in the world, which are kind of stark," said Joy Lynskey, senior project designer of PDT International, who worked primarily with neutral colours in the design as a backdrop for showcasing the priceless Jamaican artwork on display in the 10,000-square foot structure - the result of a J$200-million investment by David Hall and his business partner, Carlos Moleon.

Lynskey, who undertook design of the popular Aventura Mall in Miami and all the Digicel stores islandwide, muses that they were trying to capture the energy of the vibrant Jamaican culture in Club MoBay's design.

Club MoBay far surpasses a VIP lounge. Nobody talks about a VIP lounge two days later, but they will after visiting this one.

There is no mistake that you have walked into a cultural village that has never been done like this before. One of the country's most popular potters, Gene Pearson's ceramic handmade work of the country's National Heroes Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, Nanny, Samuel Sharpe, Marcus Garvey, Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley act as greeters on arrival.

Club MoBay provides a gateway to this brilliant land by offering travellers a chance to experience aspects of Jamaican culture through artwork on display within its plush lounges. Accordingly, the design concept was to capture the energy of the Jamaican culture. The flooring and ceiling design was inspired by the free-flowing lines found in nature.

Divided into three different lounges, 92 persons can be accommodated in Lounge A.

Another, structured in the centre of the facility, Lounge B, is dedicated to the country's sporting legends, namely Olympians Arthur Wint and Herb McKenley, sprint queen Merlene Ottey, cricketers Courtney Walsh and Chris Gayle and basketballer Patrick Ewing.

Still there is a section where cultural icon, former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, has done a complete history of Jamaica's music, taking visitors through the era of ska to rock steady. Seaga is qualified to make such a major presentation, having produced the first vinyl record in Jamaica.

In fact, each lounge is broken up into intimate seating groups providing privacy for travellers while establishing a dynamic atmosphere where each secondary space is unique. Earth tones provide a neutral backdrop to the vibrant works of art on display throughout each lounge.

The walls at Club MoBay are dedicated to the musical icons that placed Jamaica on the world map, Bob Marley, Chris Blackwell and Jimmy Cliff are among the celebrated.

In the main lounge (Lounge B), which has the capacity to accommodate some 106 persons, is where the Wall of Fame has been strategically placed, with archives of stories from one of the oldest newspaper in the Western Hemisphere,The Gleaner.

"We have basically taken the 300 most important dates in Jamaica's history, went to The Gleaner with the information and got the front page depicting those dates," said Club MoBay's David Hall. Examples he gave include articles of Britain's Princess Margaret opening the Jamaican Parliament on Independence Day in 1962, and "when Air Jamaica made its first flight and when former boxer Muhammad Ali received the keys to the city of Kingston in 1974," added Hall with gleam in his eyes.

Hall and his partner have so much to be proud of, having gifted the country with a one-of-a-kind facility that boasts undulating ceiling elements, representing the waves of the ocean.

PDT International designers delivered on a product that allows travellers the opportunity to experience a vibrant culture made up of warm and friendly people among a breathtaking landscape of waterfalls, springs, forest-clad mountains and fertile plains.

"On the wall, adjacent to each work of art, a small plaque describes the artist that created it. Club MoBay acts as an experiential art gallery where travellers progressing through the space have the opportunity to encounter various aspects of the Jamaican culture," said Lynskey.

Art placement concept

Upon arriving at the lower level, travellers are immediately welcomed by a large art piece inspired by Jamaica's natural terrain. This focal piece will be changed periodically and may display different media such as painting, photography or sculpture.

As travellers venture further into the three available lounges, several pieces from the Jamaican art scene populate the space. Within the more residential spaces of the lounge, the artwork displays serene scenes and beautiful vistas of Jamaica. As travellers venture further inward or towards the bar, the artwork becomes more playful and entertainment-driven.

These art pieces are inspired by the music and sports that Jamaicans hold dear to their heart, explained Lynskey, adding that the Jamaican artwork is displayed strategically throughout the ancillary spaces of the corridor, business centre and restrooms, offering focal points to the rooms.

"The soulful works of Jamaican art pulse with creative energy inspired by both the dynamic culture and the beautiful landscape. Club MoBay was designed with this inherent beauty in mind, where the textures and materials of each space provide a neutral backdrop to the colourful works of art on display," she concluded.

Already, Cayman Airways, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Condor, Air Berlin, Caribbean Airlines/Air Jamaica and a number of the hotels on the island have tied up agreements to use the state-of-the-art facility.

Also housed in the VIP lounge is a futuristic kiddie's centre, boasting the diversity that makes Jamaica unique. Sticking close to the Jamaican motto, 'Out of Many, One People', the faces of the island's children are spread across this beautiful area.

As if this were not enough, Hall and his Moleon have added a spa where guests can have manicure and pedicure as well as and back massages. The country's three Miss Worlds - Lisa Hanna, Cindy Breakspeare and Carole Crawford - all grace the wall in this intimate and fabulous setting.

With modern technology a necessity at the fingertips, there is also a Digicel-sponsored business centre, boasting the history of communication, blending with its birth in Jamaica.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com