“Designing this huge snow construction so that it looks fascinating—drawing the eye to different angles, shapes and curves—was challenging but very rewarding,” says Gehwolf about the process.
“When designing a car, there are functional aspects that have priority above aesthetics,” he explains. “Similarly, with a snow feature, it first needs to fulfil the requirement of being a place of progression for the best athletes in the world. But in the end, both a car and a snow feature should be pleasing to the eye.”
“Design and aesthetics have always been an important aspect of the Audi Nines,” says event founder Nico Zacek. “The result of Sebastian’s vision is something that we never could have hoped to dream of. Through this collaborative approach, we’ve built a bridge between action sports and design to truly reach a new level for both fields.”
The design includes a large “step-up,” a classic style of jump where the landing is much higher than the takeoff. Other innovations include a massive snow sphere eihght meters in diameter as a “knuckle jib” that riders can bounce off, jump over or even jump through with the help of a tunnel. Finally, a rail setup designed with input from boundary-breaking skier Jesper Tjäder will provide a venue for jib progression.
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