Now that Sinterklaas is over, the Dutch are finally letting Christmas into their lives. Christmas trees are popping up all over the city: on sale in every neighborhood, dragged home by strapping daddies and excited kiddies, beaming out into the night from cozily lit apartments.
While walking recently, I caught the eye of a woman in the Jordaan who was decorating her Christmas tree by the window. We smiled at each other before I walked on; it was one of those nice little Christmas moments I’ve been searching for lately.
Yep, I’ve been searching. By far, the most impressive Christmas tree I’ve seen this season is the one that hangs in the huge, light-filled Rijksmuseum lobby. It’s a Christmas tree from the future—a 3D holographic tree!
Created by *the* Dutch design company Droog, the Tree of Light is the biggest ever 3D light projection of a Christmas tree to date.
It brings together the work of Anne-Mari Ahola of Ahola Production Design and content by Maurits Engelen of Eyri with the technical expertise of head contractor The Beam Brothers, projection specialists tasked by Droog to manage the project. Maarten ten Holt and Michel Taanman from Van Dik Hout Decor created scale models for testing before commencing on the final construction.
Menno Iping from The Beam Brothers was kind enough to share a few fascinating technical details from behind the scenes:
- The tree is projected on a ‘canvas’ measuring 6 by 7.5 meters, which is actually made up of 33 acrylic panels in different depths.
- The acrylic panels use nano parts of titanium oxide to capture and reflect light while still keeping a translucent look (which for me, adds so much to that quiet, magical feel!).
- A total of four projectors with a stunning light output of 20,000 AnsiLumens each were used to make the animation visible in the light-filled atrium of the Rijksmuseum lobby.
I love the animation on this tree. I would have uploaded a video, but I can’t get my Final Cut Pro to work. Projected onto a translucent fabric that moves with the slightest breeze, the tree rotates ever so slowly as it twinkles and drifts overhead. It turns from green to blue to icy white, with a burst of stars along the way.
This Christmas tree is quiet, it’s restrained, but it’s no less beautiful—just like the Dutch approach to Christmas. Sinterklaas uses up all the pent-up holiday frenzy, leaving Christmas much more subdued, but meaningful nonetheless.
I like how this tree is a soft, deep sigh instead of a big, shiny, over-the-top wow; I love how it gives people passing through Rijksmuseum tunnel an opportunity to stop, look and savor a moment of peace amidst the relentless holiday rush. With Christmas just two weeks away, we all know how hard those moments are to come by!
What’s the most impressive Christmas tree you’ve seen this season?
