Swarovski Crystal Palace, main sponsor of Design Miami/ 2009, unveils a hi-tech installation by Greg Lynn

Miami, USA - As main sponsor of Design Miami/ 2009, Swarovski Crystal Palace unveiled a show-stopping hi-tech installation by Greg Lynn at Design Miami which opened on 1st December.


Located at the entrance to the Designers’ Lounge, the structure extends over 80 square metres and reaches over 7 metres in height, where the ‘walls’ and ‘ceiling’ are made of Swarovski crystal-encrusted suspended panels or “sails” where moulded, curved and billowing shapes overlap and intersect. The installation uses cutting edge technology from the sailing and ship-building industry in which carbon and aramid fibres are compressed between transparent sheets of Mylar to make astonishingly strong, lightweight and transparent sails that are less than 1mm thick.


“The sails are made to cope with massive loads from the wind,” Lynn comments. “It’s like hanging 3 SUVs off a paper thin sheet.” Lynn has taken this technology to create his sculptural composition, incorporating thousands of Swarovski crystals.


Swarovski Crystal Palace celebrated the launch of the installation with an intimate cocktail reception in honour of Greg Lynn which included a guest list of design, art and architecture icons.


“Swarovski Crystal Palace is proud to be associated with Design Miami as we believe strongly in supporting contemporary design and art. I have been honoured to have worked with some incredible artists who have created pieces for Swarovski Crystal Palace that blur the boundaries between art and function. Design Miami is an important showcase for the wealth of talent that exists today,” says Nadja Swarovski.


Now in its eight year, Swarovski Crystal Palace has worked with some of the world’s foremost and collectable designers including Zaha Hadid, Yvés Behar, Studio Job, Tom Dixon, Ron Arad, Tokujin Yoshioka and Fernando and Humberto Campana. Design Miami has established itself as the preeminent international fair for limited-edition design and the partnership with Swarovski has developed from a natural synergy in the support and promotion of groundbreaking new design.


Swarovski, the world’s most prestigious manufacturer of precision cut crystal, is dedicated to its work with contemporary designers. Swarovski Crystal Palace is a revolutionary project that has aimed to create signature interpretations of light and design using the emotive medium of cut crystal. Whilst celebrating and reinterpreting the rich traditions of the chandelier, Swarovski Crystal Palace has broken barriers, played with the rules and opened a new chapter in the history of lighting, art and design.