With a busy casino, beautiful swimming pool and four great restaurants, Harrah's Ak-Chin Hotel & Casino, located just south of Phoenix, was at capacity on a daily basis. After a decade of consistent success, Harrah's decided to add an additional 152-rooms, bringing the total guest room count to 300. RSP's design approach to the new 88,000 square foot, five-story expansion takes cues from the surrounding landscape and the art and agricultural traditions of the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Intricate geometric designs on the exterior skin resemble traditional basket making techniques while vertical garden shade screens were inspired by rows of crops. The hotel expansion includes a reconfigured guest entry experience that opens to the outdoor environment and re-imagined guest rooms with modern lines, materials and finishes that are rich in color and texture.