The Rockefeller Christmas Tree will not be the only holiday must-see this season. David Rockwell, president of Rockwell Group, and his team at the LAB have designed Luminaries, a holiday lighting display for the Winter Garden in Brookfield Place that is sure to draw crowds.
Suspended 45' above the ground where palm trees inhabit the 200'x100' Winter Garden space are 650 2'x2' custom-built luminoids, according to Forbes. The translucent lanterns feature color-changing LED lights from Philips Color Kinetics that respond to guests' "wishes." Arranged around the installment are three "wishing stations"—touch-sensitive podiums that send bursts of color through the overhead canopy when pressed by holiday passersby. The colors intermix when wishes are cast simultaneously.
In support of GRAMMY in the Schools music education programs for high school students, Arts Brookfield will donate $1 to the GRAMMY Foundation for every wish made, donating up to $25,000 this holiday season.
Luminaries also features three-minute programmed lightshows that will take place once every two hours from 10 am to 8 pm. The lightshows include "Northern Lights" where patterns radiate from the center; "Firecrackers" with bright color bursts; "Snowfall," reminiscent of a winter flurry; "Ribbons" with geometric patterns; and "Christmas Tree," featuring layers of wrapping paper to create a gift that fades into a star, according to Forbes.
Rockwell will host a private reception tomorrow where singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor will cast the first wish, commemorating the start of Luminaries, which will be on display from December 2 to January 10.