New Year trees — or Christmas trees, as they are more commonly known abroad — have stirred in us a sense of breathless, magical anticipation since childhood. Yet how many examples are there of trees that not only rekindle the festive spirit but also bring genuine benefit to those in need? And did you know that, away from his work designing Apple products, Jony Ive creates Christmas magic of his own?
This Christmas, Losko magazine presents the most striking and, without doubt, most beloved symbols of winter.
1. Mangata in Stockholm
The exhibits of the "Nordic Light exhibition symbolise the singular relationship Scandinavians have with winter and light. The upper section of the installation evokes the northern lights, while the lower section recalls a Christmas tree — and the cleverly engineered structure conceals numerous lamps by local designers within it.
2. A Christmas tree made of sledges in Budapest
Designers from Hello Wood threw a true celebration for children in 2013, erecting an enormous Christmas tree made of 365 sledges in front of the Palace of Arts on the banks of the Danube. Two weeks after the festivities, the eleven-metre tree was dismantled and the sledges were donated to children living in SOS Children's Villages.
3. Charity Tree made of firewood in Budapest
A charitable installation made from 15,000 kg of logs was given its full meaning by the designers at Hungarian architecture studio HelloWood. The Christmas tree embodies the importance of community and family — not only because people traditionally gather around it to celebrate together, but because Christmas is also a time to think of the thousands of families who struggle every day to heat their homes.
4. The upside-down tree at Tate Britain
The gallery chose to mark the start of the festive season by suspending an inverted tree from the ceiling of its Millbank building. Preserving the natural beauty of the pine, Iranian artist Shirazeh Houshiary painted its roots gold, drawing all attention to them. Ordinarily, a tree's powerful roots remain hidden from view — yet they are the very foundation of life and growth. In this way, the artist invites us to look beneath the surface of things rather than dwell on the obvious.
5. The Burberry Christmas tree at Claridge's
The hotel Claridge's in London has a long-standing tradition of inviting celebrated designers to create the festive decoration for its lobby. 2015 was no exception: Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey crafted a tree from gold and silver umbrellas — symbols both of the British capital's weather and of the fashion house's iconic trench coats. As conceived by its creator, the installation captures the carefree spirit of Christmas and draws visitors into a gentle game: as they approach, the umbrellas begin to move and shimmer with thousands of lights.
6. Jony Ive's Christmas fantasy at Claridge's
Jonathan Ive and Marc Newson of Apple together recreated an 'enchanted' forest in the lobby of Claridge's hotel in 2016. Since 2009, guests have queued to see the hotel's 'seasonal attraction' — Christmas trees created by world-renowned designers and couturiers, among them Dolce & Gabbana and Dior.
7. Gareth Pugh's neon installation for Topshop
Continuing the theme of designer-conceived festive spaces, one cannot overlook Gareth Pugh's Christmas installations. In 2008, seeking to capture the spirit of an abstract Christmas, the fashion designer embraced minimalism and clean lines, adorning a three-metre steel tree frame with nothing more than neon tubes.
8. Gareth Pugh's 'Ceremony'
Gareth Pugh named the installation 'Ceremony', seeking to emphasise the unconventional opulence and solemnity of his creation. At the Victoria and Albert Museum he constructed a glittering golden tree four metres tall, composed entirely of backlit mirrored panels, fabric and wood.
9. Álvaro Álvarez's Festive Installation in Madrid
Not all designers, however, kept to austere, minimal forms. Álvaro Álvarez of the Spanish architecture studio A-cero chose to astonish visitors with a silver 'mountain' of gleaming baubles evoking a Christmas tree. The process of creating the installation can be explored in detail on the studio's blog.
10. Mercedes Rodríguez's Christmas Tree in Spain
In 2011, Mercedes Rodríguez of A-cero combined high-tech materials into a striking exterior feature for the offices of Mutua Madrileña. The structure was built using pyramid-shaped steel frames, wire, aluminium tubes and LED optical fibres.
