< Previous1011 Text – Rebecca Müller Swarovski Crystal Worlds brightens up the darkest time of the year. In addition to dazzling installations and displays in Wattens, Innsbruck, and Vienna, there is a Light Festival, a Winter Wonderland, and millions of crystals sparkling in the dark of night. Lights on! Winter in the Giant12 “I want people to feel as if they are stepping into a nostalgic painting.” , , “ ” L ight and warmth can seem far away in winter. Fortunately, this is also the season for cozy comforts, parties, treats, and spending time with those we love. For Winter in the Giant, light plays a starring role. Crystals glitter and gleam more bright- ly than ever in contrast to the dark colors of winter. Numerous events for the whole family ensure that this time of the year is full of special experiences. At the Swarovski Kristallwelten Stores in Wat- tens, Innsbruck, and Vienna, British set designer Rhea Thierstein has cast a nostalgic and imaginative spell. To create her “Radiant Light Stages”, Thierstein chose a combination of traditional craftsmanship and con- trasting modern, surprising elements. This symbiosis is particularly striking in her “Swarovski stars” – glowing, sculptural shooting stars which are the central feature in the art spaces and display windows of the Swarovski Kristallwelten Stores. Crystalline snow and hand-painted horizons form the landscape around the hand-made stars. “I want people to feel as if they are stepping into a nostalgic painting. Like traveling back into their child- hood,” says the designer, describing her artistic vision. The “Radiant Light Stages” were unveiled in November in Wattens, Innsbruck, and Vienna. Light and sound This year’s Light Festival runs from November 29, 2019 to January 6, 2020, and promises to be particu- larly spectacular at its location – or locations, to be precise – because the venue for the show is not just the interior of the Giant, but the garden at Swarovski Crystal Worlds too. In the Chambers of Wonder, there are many dierent light installations to explore from 8:30 onwards. And when darkness falls, the garden comes to life as well. : The star atop the tall Christmas tree can be seen from far away. : Rhea Thierstein’s installations – like this one at the Swarovski Kristallwelten Store in Vienna – are created using paper, watercolors, and light.13Winter in the Giant : Fairy-tale characters congregate in the garden at Swarovski Crystal Worlds. From 16:00 onwards, for instance, a Christmas tree topped with a sparkling star, is lit and can be see from anywhere in the garden. “The brilliance of the Christ- mas star shines out in all directions – just like crystal,” says its creator, the Dutch designer Tord Boontje. Another special feature is the light harp, which produces glitteringly cold, crystal-clear notes and playful harmonies that ring out under the Crystal Cloud. The “Carousel” will be part of the Light Festival too. It was created by the Spanish artist Jaime Hayon, and opened in the summer; it brings a sparkle to chil- dren’s eyes and makes adults feel like kids again. Winter Wonderland If you visit the garden at Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens during the winter, you can’t miss the fairy-tale characters created by Tord Boontje. Every year since 2016, this versatile artist has transformed the garden at Swarovski Crystal Worlds into a winter wonderland. A hare and an elk sit together on a bench – a place 14 that has also proved very popular over the last three years as a photo-spot. On top of a wall, a squirrel and a bird seem to be quarreling over a crystal, and on the lawns there are stags and reindeer; there’s a mother bear with her cub and a large sleigh that has just land- ed on the Grand Plaza. Some of these fairy-tale figures are part of the Light Festival, and the whole Winter Wonderland will be there to explore after the festival finishes, from January 6, 2020 onwards. Winter all year round Winter in the Giant includes many events designed to enchant the whole family. In every corner there is something magical to discover – when it gets dark here, millions of crystals sparkle brightly, illuminated trees reach up toward the sky, a carousel turns in the dark, and warmly gleaming figures tell a fantastical winter fairy tale. In the “Silent Light” Chamber of Wonder, the winter atmosphere is palpable all year round. In the center of this Chamber of Wonder stands a crystal-covered tree, designed by Tord Boontje in col- laboration with fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who died in 2010. From May 2020 onwards, this tree is moving to a new, very special home – you can read more about that on the next few pages. Magic numbers 13 meters is the height of the Christmas tree 12 characters and 1 sleigh are part of the Winter Wonderland 150,000 crystals make up the “Silent Light Tree” created by Tord Boontje and Alexander McQueen brightens up the garden of the Giant for the fourth year running; The Carousel (right) is a new art installation that has been delighting visitors since it opened in the summer.#SparkDelight Light on the new Winter CollectionFebruary 28 marks the end of the me- terological winter. On March 21 winter ends astronomi- cally. At Swarovski Crystal Worlds, this year winter will not come to an end at all – instead it will be revitalized in May. 16LET IT I t was over 15 years ago that the Dutch designer Tord Boontje, together with fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who died in 2010, was commis- sioned to design a Christmas tree for the foyer of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. “The trees they had in previous years were mostly real ones, decorated with diamonds, for example. We wanted to do something diff erent,” explains Boontje. The two designers decided to create a sparkling tree, and settled on the idea of constructing it completely out of crystals. Tord Boontje had already worked with Swarovski before and asked the company to provide the crystals. The two creative artists found inspiration for their tree in nature. They thought about a snowy forest of pines on a day when the clouds are very low and the cold makes the trees frosty. “Then the trees are completely white all over. That looks so spectacular, so beautiful – and you only see it a few times each win- ter,” explains Tord Boontje, describing the wonderful natural spectacle that was the model for their crystal Christmas tree. From London to Wattens When its brief appearance in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London came to an end, Swarovski brought the tree to Wattens and installed it at Swarovski Crystal Worlds. The designers’ originally intended the tree to revolve. In its first location at Swarovski Crystal Worlds this was not possible. “That seemed a bit of a shame – crystals are made to be in motion,” says Tord Boontje. Even without movement, the tree was a great success with the public. As part of the exten- sion work at Swarovski Crystal Worlds in 2015 Swarovski asked the Dutchman to create a new setting for the tree. This became the “Silent Light” Chamber of Wonder, with the crystal tree in the center – on a revolving stage. When visitors enter the Chamber of Wonder they are walking into a magical winter landscape. The dark colored walls glitter with curvy trees, ice flowers, and animals of all sizes. In the center of the space is the tree, turning slowly and casting rainbow light reflections into the room. Tord Boontje’s design for the Chamber of Wonder was inspired by the work of Winter in the Giant17 “Crystals are made to be in motion.” TORD BOONTJE, designer Text – Rebecca Müller18 Alexander McQueen: “I remembered one of his fashion shows that was held on a real ice rink – the models wore ice skates – that was fabulous!” So he hit upon the idea of making it snow inside the Chamber of Wonder. In this way, he wanted to bring another facet of nature to the interior of the Giant, and to embellish the idea of the original inspira- tion for the crystal tree – the frozen pine trees in winter. However, the technology was simply not advanced enough at that point to make this work. Unique experience Two years ago, Boontje discovered that it was now possible to produce “indoor snow.” He and Carla Rum- ler, Curator of Swarovski Crystal Worlds and Cultural Director Swarovski, headed for Bolzano, Italy, where the global market leader TechnoAlpin is based, to see their “snow room.” “It was so beautiful. And so pure – they just combine clean water and coldness, to make natural, pure snow fall from the ceiling.” After a few meetings with TechnoAlpin it became clear fairly quickly that the two companies would find a way to work together. The result of this cooperation can be seen from May 2020 at Swarovski Crystal Worlds. That is when the “Silent Light Tree” designed by Tord Boontje and Alexander McQueen will also make the next stage of its journey – just a short one this time. “The tree will leave its present position and become the focal point of the new attraction,” reveals Boontje. More than that he refuses to divulge. All he will say is: “It will be the only experience of its kind in the world.” The snow makers TechnoAlpin is the global innovation leader in snowmaking – on the ski slopes or for indoor use. The company was founded in Bolzano, Italy, in 1990. Numerous patents for standard items of to- day’s snowmaking equipment can be traced back to TechnoAlpin. Today, the South Tyrolean company has 15 branches in 13 countries and employs around 750 people. TechnoAlpin has now also become the innovation leader for indoor snowmaking: in the “snow room,” at a temperature of -10°C, dry air and water are combined to produce snow. Their technol- ogy ensures minimal consumption of resources – one liter of water makes five liters of snow, and the power consumption is comparable to that of a sauna. Several hotels o er a so-called snow sauna made by TechnoAlpin – for example the Burghotel in Ober- lech and the Hotel Quellenhof in Leutasch, as well as the Aquarena swimming center in Kitzbühel. Silent light tree: The tree designed by Alexander McQueen and Tord Boontje will be the focal point of the new attraction at Swarovski Crystal Worlds. More details of the new Chamber of Wonder will be available in February at: kristallwelten.com/blog (in German). BL G © HOTEL GARTNER22.11.2019 - 06.01.2020 Hofburg Brixen brixen.org/soliman “The trees they had in previous years were mostly real ones, decorated with diamonds, for example. We wanted to do some- thing diff erent.” TORD BOONTJE, Designer good FriendS: Designer Tord Boontje and Swarovski have successfully worked together for years.Next >