The Marriot located at Biscayne Bay in Miami added a mural, “Natura Sound”, to its hotel. The mural was created by Miami artist Nate Dee and depicts Florida’s ecosystem and wildlife. Julissa Kepner, Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay General Manager talked about the mural for the guests, “we want the guests to find the mural as a place to photograph themselves in front of, as a place to brighten their day, and as a place to remind them of all the uniqueness Miami has to offer.” The mural also encompasses the style of the Wynwood staple of murals.
Dee being a Miami Native and having knowledge of the landscape made him a perfect candidate to paint this special mural. “I felt he would bring the vision to life in a bright and fun way to mirror our new hotel positioning of being on the waterfront,” Kepner said. Natura Sound’s bright colors definitely bring the pop of color and the vibe of the bay.
Dee felt that it made sense to highlight Florida’s diverse wildlife and ecosystem because of things that are important to him in his work. “One of the things that is very important in my work is the idea of sustainability, wildlife, the idea that we are here as stewards to the planet and we should take care of it,” Dee says.. Dee also says the location was impeccable because they were right next to an ecosystem so there was a definite connection.
Kepner says this mural shows South Florida’s landscape in a more engaging way. “It represents our deep-rooted connections to our surrounding and important environment and the ecological treasures you may find,” Kepner explains about what it represents.
The mural is the signature of this Marriot, it shows everything local, “that’s all local plant life, aquatic plants, aquatic animals,” Dee says.
Marriot wants their guests to take advantage of the mural not only to photograph but also to remind them of the uniqueness of South Florida. “It allows our guests to connect with the natural surrounding beauty they will find during their stay,” Kepner says.
Through all these ecological perspectives the Marriott has also been actively implementing sustainability in their everyday operations. In the guestrooms, they have, “High-quality LED lighting is provided to reduce energy usage, reduce glare, approximate natural light, reduce maintenance cost and lower materials and resources inputs,” Kepner says. Other ways they have been eco-friendly is, “ implementing Low-flow plumbing fixtures result in 30% indoor water savings. An emphasis on healthy materials verified as low-emissions/non-toxic. Renewable Energy Credits were purchased to offset five years of electricity use of the project to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”
This new mural encompasses South Florida’s beauty seen through nature.
