High above the picturesque Okanagan Valley in Vernon, Canada, it rises like a freestanding crystalline building: Sparkling Hill Resort. Nestled in a sheer cliff of granite, the spectacular architecture of Cannon Design gives the impression that it grew there naturally. The ambitious building structure, which is integrated into the surrounding countryside on many different levels and is home to a modern spa hotel, is followed by a no less exciting lighting design and interior planning made with crystal.

It is as if a prismatic crystal had risen out of the surface of the earth before the pristine panorama of the Monashee Mountains. Mysteriously, though, while a crystal of this size would have triggered a major movement of the earth, Sparkling Hill exudes an irresistible air of peace and a sublime serenity. The surface of the new hotel complex, which itself resembles the facets of a mineral, is rough-edged and has creases. Depending on the weather, it radiates a color from white to dark metallic. Above all, however, the building has an inner glow. Sparkling Hill is the first hotel in the world to have made crystal its central architectural theme and in so doing to have jointly developed the comprehensive design of its spaces, which conjure a magical haven of wellbeing from an idea of wellness, with Swarovski.

The interior became an overarching crystalline concept under the motto “celebrating whole body wellness”. The basic idea behind the design of the space was to pay homage to the allure of the surrounding natural environment: the play of glittering drops of water and rays of sun on rock formations provided the inspiration, and crystal from Swarovski provided the elemental material. Now crystals shimmer in fountains, fireplaces, lighting objects and tiles, trace a night sky in the indoor pool and lend subtle warmth to the meditation area. The monumental crystal fragment, the signature of Sparkling Hill Resort, leads visitors into a wondrous world of light, relaxation and contemplation.

Swarovski’s specialists pulled out all the stops on their lighting know-how for the project. Swarovski not only drafted the design – the Swarovski Project Team also implemented the concept, staying on the site for about five weeks. Thus, everything comes from one creative hand, and consequently, Sparkling Hill breaks with tradition and is ahead of its time. “A visual and architectural masterpiece”, exclaims managing director Hans-Peter Mayr. “We had the good fortune to work with the Swarovski design and development team. Their vision and imagination know no bounds. It is thrilling to see how the versatility of crystal was linked with functionality and atmosphere”.

Approximately two million lose crystals as well as a great number of luminaires and lighting systems of the Contemporary Lighting collections were used for the entire project. Many objects, however, were specially adapted to the peculiarity and the quiet mystique of the place, and then skilfully integrated in it. “This combination of reflections from both natural and artificial light is characteristic of Sparkling Hill," says Andreas Altmayer, creative head of the Swarovski design team. "The wonderful thing about crystal is that it enchants and sparkles so diversely; its appearance and intensity change according to the weather, time of day and the season.”

If the modernity of Sparkling Hill is seated in its overall concept, its ingenuity is housed in its detail. In nature, light and dark create mood – the experience that is Sparkling Hill has been modelled after this fact, using Swarovski as its medium. Visitors to the resort thus become connoisseurs of shifting, relaxing moods. For the shimmering complex of Sparkling Hill once again makes clear that Swarovski crystal is light’s ally.

Project Information: Sparkling Hill Resort is the first hotel of its kind in North America. It combines European wellness products with the magic of crystal.
Architecture: CANNON DESIGN, Seeton Shinkewski Design Group
Crystalline Details: Swarovski luminaires and lighting products, Swarovski Architectural Elements, Swarovski Crystal Strands, Crystal art pieces made with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS.


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