Case Study: Phoenix Swisshotel Almaty — Lobby and Terrace

Phoenix Swisshotel is one of SANDALUCI's flagship Almaty projects. The brief had two independent parts: soft seating for a high-traffic lobby, and an outdoor collection for a terrace that had to survive the Kazakhstan climate.

The Lobby: Choosing the Fill

A five-star hotel lobby sees continuous use — guests sit, wait, work, meet. Soft furniture there has to hold its shape under load that runs 5-10 times higher than in a residential setting. We chose modular sofas with 45 kg/m³ density foam and a technical, stain-resistant fabric rated at Martindale 80,000+ cycles for the highest-wear zones. After 18 months of daily traffic, not a single section has lost its shape. That's the real success criterion: good hotel soft seating is the kind guests never notice.

The Terrace: Three Winters, Zero Replacements

Almaty's climate is a serious test for outdoor furniture — down to -25°C in winter, up to +40°C in summer, and heavy UV exposure. We chose an aluminium frame with a 70-micron powder-polymer coating. One key detail: the chair legs were fitted with anti-capillary plastic caps that stop moisture from entering the profile, which otherwise destroys the coating from the inside through repeated freeze-thaw cycles. After three full winters: not a single rust spot, not one frozen-through profile.

Synthetic Rattan: Why Not the Real Thing

Part of the terrace used modular synthetic rattan sofas. Natural rattan looks similar but degrades outdoors in Kazakhstan within one to two seasons — it stiffens in the cold and tears. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) synthetic rattan holds its shape at -30°C and doesn't fade under direct summer sun. Two seasons in, the furniture still looks like it arrived last month.

The Details That Made the Difference

Two details often get overlooked when choosing outdoor furniture: table base weight and coating resistance to cleaning chemicals. For an exposed Almaty terrace, table bases need to weigh at least 8-10 kg, or the first strong gust will tip them onto guests. The coating also has to withstand chlorine-based disinfectants — without that, serving surfaces degrade within the first season.

FAQ: Outdoor Projects

Can aluminium furniture stay outside through winter? Yes, with the right coating — only cushions need to come indoors. How much maintenance does aluminium need? A soapy-water wash once a season plus a check of bolted joints. Can outdoor furniture be made in custom sizes? Yes — any RAL powder-coat colour, custom dimensions on request.