jeanne gang creates glacial environment for swarovski at design miami/

jeanne gang creates glacial environment for swarovski at design miami/
photo © steve benisty
all images courtesy of design miami/

the installation ‘thinning ice’, commissioned by swarovski for design miami/ 2014, utilized glacial forms and imagery to simultaneously highlight changing climatic conditions and convey the company’s identity and its crystal products. the exhibition was conceived by chicago-based architect jeanne gang and displays striking photography from james balog, who has an extensive history for documenting polar and high altitude bodies of ice. through its reference to immersive nature to cold environments, the room exists as an alternative space to the hot and humid climate of miami, with hopes of producing introspection and conversation about receding glaciers.

the space is intended to promote reflection on and discussion about receding glacial activity due to climate change
photo © steve benisty

the space is bound by an 11.5 foot (3.5 meter) tall and 70 foot (21.5 meter) long media wall that connects 25 LCD screens together to present, in large scale, various glacial images. at its center, fluid-formed display cases reference melting ice, while containing crystals sunken into the surfaces. the installation’s floor features curving illuminated ‘cracks’, containing small bits of crystal.

melting ice-formed display cases are surrounded by a 70 foot long media wall presenting photos of james balog
photo © steve benisty

the exhibition builds upon swarovski’s agenda to bring awareness to environmental concerns – particularly water conservation and preservation – and manifests a project launched by the company three years ago commissioning balog to photograph the receding stubai glacier in the austrian alps. ‘thinning ice’ is intended to be a place for reflection on and discussion about, ‘the forms and implications of receding ice sheets—a captivating experience that is as educational as it is stunning,’ as stated by swarovski.

recessed forms in the table surfaces reference melt holes in polar ice formations
photo © steve benisty

the sunken portions contain illuminated crystals
photo © steve benisty

a curving and illuminated crack in the floor contains small bits of crystal
photo © steve benisty

photo © steve benisty

photos © steve benisty