2025 DCC Award Winner
Epic Universe; Gran Helios Hotel Lobby Floor, David Allen Company, Orlando, FL
First Place: Decorative Resinous Coatings, Over 5,000 sqft

The Grand Helios Hotel stands as a shining tribute to the sun, moon, and stars within Universal’s Epic Universe. Anchoring Celestial Park with striking architecture and luminous interiors, the hotel blends luxury with cosmic grandeur. Its public floors—spanning the lobby, hallways, retail areas, and breakfast restaurant—were envisioned as a flowing celestial map, alive with constellations, radiant arcs, and planetary bands underfoot.

To bring this vision to life, a custom Terroxy epoxy terrazzo system was installed across approximately 10,100 square feet. The design incorporated three primary base colors and five additional artwork tones, combining to create layered fields of movement and rhythm. Over 5,000 square feet were hand-seeded in a multi-color celestial pattern, embedded with hand-bent ¼” brass strips to form glowing golden rings, orbits, and constellations. In high-visibility areas, such as the lobby ramp, sitting steps, and retail thresholds, poured-in-place terrazzo was sculpted into curved, vertical transitions—including a waterfall-edge knee wall and column wraps.

Roughly 250 linear feet of poured-in-place 6” radial cove base was installed with a brass top strip, matched by 650 linear feet of precast cove base throughout corridors and corners .One expansion joint with a finished brass top-plate was strategically integrated to maintain visual continuity. Where needed, precision infill was placed to meet floor tolerance requirements. A final upgrade to TR-X sealer enhanced reflectivity and durability, while AlphaShield protection safeguarded artwork zones during final construction phases. This floor is more than finish—it’s a celestial tapestry that guides guests through the Grand Helios experience, one radiant step at a time.