Daniel Libeskind and Swarovski unveil Rockefeller Center Christmas tree star in NYC
Nothing signals the start of the holiday season like the unveiling of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, and this year, there is one more reason to celebrate; renowned New York architect Daniel Libeskind has joined forces with crystal experts Swarovski to create the tree's Star, the Big Apple's highest symbol of Christmas cheer.
The numbers are impressive. The tree-topper weighs some 400 kg, spans 2.80 m in diameter and features 70 spikes covered in three million Swarovski crystals. Finely crafted at the Austrian company's factory in Wattens and then a specialist maker in Rhode Island, the piece makes excellent use of Swarovski's time-honed skills in crystal technology and refraction of light.
The overall design is a real show stopper, a dynamic, three-dimensional structure that bears the signature angled shapes and surfaces of its creator's architecture. Light reflects artfully off the crystal surfaces and a balanced volumetric composition underlines that this piece is a work of sculpture, rather than mere festive ornament.
The scaffolding will be removed on the 28 November, followed by a tree lighting ceremony.
Revealed today, the Star will be joined by a Libeskind-designed retail pop-up featuring crystal ornaments for the holiday season. The unit also appears on the Rockefeller Plaza in a shape that echoes that of the Star, all crystalline forms and reflective surfaces. The 13.5m space includes glass panels and video screens, enveloping the retail element.
‘The new Swarovski Star for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is inspired by the beauty of starlight – something that radiates meaning and mystery into the world', says Libeskind. ‘The Star is a symbol that represents our greatest ambitions for hope, unity and peace. I am tremendously honoured to collaborate with Swarovski on the Star, and with the entire design team, to bring cutting-edge innovation and design to crystal technology.'
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of Daniel Libeskind
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Aberto’s first international show celebrates Brazilian design in Paris at a modernist gem
Brazilian exhibition platform Aberto takes over modernist properties for art and design showcases. As it brings its concept to Europe, Wallpaper* is at Maison La Roche to explore South American icons
-
Luc Tuymans debuts his largest ever paintings at Venice’s majestic San Giorgio Maggiore Basilica
Luc Tuymans is the latest artist to be commissioned by San Giorgio to present work inside its famous space
-
A Brazil office makes the most of its tropical location
We tour of a new Brazil office engulfed in greenery – welcome to Gabriel Faria Lima Corporate by Perkins & Will
-
PlayLab opens its Los Angeles base, blending workspace, library and shop in a new interior
Creative studio PlayLab opens its Los Angeles workspace and reveals plans to also open its archive to the public for the first time, revealing a dedicated space full of pop treasures
-
Los Angeles businesses regroup after the 2025 fires
In the third instalment of our Rebuilding LA series, we zoom in on Los Angeles businesses and the architecture and social fabric around them within the impacted Los Angeles neighbourhoods
-
‘Fall Guy’ director David Leitch takes us inside his breathtaking Los Angeles home
For movie power couple David Leitch and Kelly McCormick, interior designer Vanessa Alexander crafts a home with the ultimate Hollywood ending
-
The Lighthouse draws on Bauhaus principles to create a new-era workspace campus
The Lighthouse, a Los Angeles office space by Warkentin Associates, brings together Bauhaus, brutalism and contemporary workspace design trends
-
This minimalist Wyoming retreat is the perfect place to unplug
This woodland home that espouses the virtues of simplicity, containing barely any furniture and having used only three materials in its construction
-
Croismare school, Jean Prouvé’s largest demountable structure, could be yours
Jean Prouvé’s 1948 Croismare school, the largest demountable structure ever built by the self-taught architect, is up for sale
-
We explore Franklin Israel’s lesser-known, progressive, deconstructivist architecture
Franklin Israel, a progressive Californian architect whose life was cut short in 1996 at the age of 50, is celebrated in a new book that examines his work and legacy
-
A new hilltop California home is rooted in the landscape and celebrates views of nature
WOJR's California home House of Horns is a meticulously planned modern villa that seeps into its surrounding landscape through a series of sculptural courtyards