Adding to the already-packed roster of projects Swarovski has undertaken in recent months, including the inauguration of their new Manufaktur design centre in Wattens, Austria, Swarovski has unveiled the installations by winners of the yearly Designers of the Future award at Design Miami/Basel 2019. Up-and-coming designers Juju Wang from Shanghai, Dutch pair Studio Klarenbeek & Dros, and British Raffe Burrell were chosen by to interpret three categories:  ‘Architectural Surfaces and Building Materials’, ‘Home Décor’ and ‘Lighting’.

Each designer interpreted their specific brief by focussing on themes related to water, an integral part of the crystal production process. Juju Wang used 830,000 crystals in five different colours to mimic the effect of light on water for her project ‘Sea-cret’, creating an immersive, atmospheric installation that also incorporated sound and scent.

Klarenbeek & Dros took an environmental approach to the subject, inspired by the melting polar ice cap: the duo 3D printed a series of faceted vases, decorative trays and candle holders, a project that also pushed forward the brand's 3D printing capabilities. Waterfalls of South Tyrol, the region from which Swarovski hails, were the protagonist for Raffe Burrell’s installation, ‘Reflection’. The British designer reinterpreted Art Deco chandeliers with 2,608 blue-tinted crystals that call to mind water cascading down cliffs.

“The Swarovski Designers of the Future program has built an enviable track record for tapping the most promising young talents and watching them become some of the most prominent voices in the field,” commented Design Miami/Basel Curatorial Director Aric Chen.

“The program acts not just as a launchpad for designers, but also as a barometer for design – offering a snapshot of the priorities, approaches, ideas and obsessions that are shaping the next generation of design.”

Opening picture: Juju Wang’s installation at Design Miami/Basel 2019. Photo Mark Cocksedge