Walk through the glow of Echoes of Snow— an immersive walk-through art installation that lit up Stephen Avenue during Chinook Blast! This annual winter Calgarian festival celebrates art, music, performances, and community. Despite temperatures dipping below -25°C (with no chinooks in sight), the event was a success, bringing wonder to the heart of the city.
Echoes of Snow came to us through artist and designer Collin Hnetka. Our team created construction blueprints that were brought to life in our fabrication studio, along with programming the dynamic LED light sequences.
Project Display Requirements
custom Freestanding ART display
Project Concept
“The design concept for this exterior light interactive centres around creating a visually striking installation that combines architectural structure with dynamic light play. A frame will serve as the foundation for housing two large, 6-foot snowflake shapes that are intricately designed and spaced within the structure.
Each snowflake is embedded with several infinity mirrors that use thousands of LEDs. These LEDs, mirrors and two-way glass creates an optical illusion of never ending depth that captivates viewers. The infinity mirror effect will give the snowflakes the appearance of glowing endlessly from within, making them seem larger and more dynamic than they are, especially during the evening and winter nights. The embedded lights will also change colour and cycle through several animated patterns.“
Designed for both visual impact and interactivity, the installation invites patrons to explore, take photos, and fully immerse themselves in the kaleidoscopic reflections of light and colour. Whether experienced alone or with others, the infinite light walkthrough created a playful, shareable moment that blends art, technology and wonder.
Design
As we progressed through the fabrication stage, certain aspects had to be adjusted to accommodate structural and stability requirements. The initial design, including its dimensions and materials, evolved as we navigated these physical constraints.
Material selection was a critical factor, requiring careful consideration of environmental conditions and the durability needed for a public art display. Weather resistance, wear and tear, and long-term sustainability all played a role in determining the final materials used in the project.
The design features two massive 7.5’ snowflakes with 2-way mirrors and LED lighting, all mounted on a wooden pergola. Each snowflake is built from six layers of plywood, capped with white ACM. LED strips lined the inset snowflake shape, sandwiched between the 2-way mirrors—so the glowing effects shine both inside and out.
Structure
The installation was supported on a wooden pergola that held the two snowflake structures. The frame was initially going to be 6 x 6s, but after further consideration, hollow millwork boxes were constructed as part of the frame, so that electrical cords could be hidden inside them for a seamless look.
Puppet Staff Canada performers during Chinook Blast, photo by Neil Zeller
Ply-wood Snowflakes
A project like this took a lot of questions and conversations from different departments. Our CNC Operator advised the best way to cut the snowflakes, how to get the dimension and depth for the illusion, and how the 6 layers would come together to be structurally strong. Conversations with the Technical Developer shaped the wiring and light programming plan.
LED Lighting & Infinite Mirrors
We lined the inside edges of the entire snowflake with LED strips, locking them in place with custom hold-downs made on our 3D printers. To bring it all to life, we programmed dynamic lighting patterns that ran seamlessly across the whole display, powered by two control boxes. All the wiring—power cables, LED connections, and ethernet for communication between control boxes—was carefully concealed within the frame. At the heart of it all, a computer inside the main control box handled the sequences and could be accessed remotely if needed. The result? A stunning display with over 3,500 individually addressable lights!
Installation
This display was no lightweight—it weighed in at around 500 lbs! To get it on-site, we carefully laid the snowflake wall panels flat on a flat-deck truck and used a crane for the heavy lifting. Once delivered, it took a team of four to assemble everything on location, making sure every piece was perfectly in place.
Watch the video featured in the local news!
CREATIVE Display Fabrication
Let our talented team bring your artistic vision to life. From conceptualization and industrial design to fabrication, installation, and dismantling, we manage every step of the process to ensure your project is a success.