The Icon

Situated in Davos, Switzerland, for the 2025 World Economic Forum, The Icon, designed by Skreinstudios, seeks to redefine the concept of temporary architectural installations in both urban and natural landscapes. Its distinctive circular form, constructed from locally sourced Swiss timber, is intended to disappear and reappear with minimal ecological impact.

The pavilion is arranged in flat, linear wooden panels wrapped around a curved façade—a deliberate rejection of the tech-forward aesthetic that often dominates Forum installations. The untreated wooden shingles, as shown in the architectural renderings, will age naturally over time, forming a protective patina—even as the structure itself moves between locations.

To effectively communicate the Icon, we designed each shingle as a distinct geometry, reflecting the layered structure of the façade—a process that required heightened attention to material texture and light behavior. Then each tile was individually crafted to achieve accurate texture and deliberate irregularities, enhancing the realism of the surface.

In the final renderings, the lighting strategy became a focal point so we conducted multiple tests to assess the optimal placement of LED lights, creating a subtle, cinematic glow throughout the images. The project also requires scenes depicting a specific demographic—a well-dressed, elite audience—a detail that subtly informs our visual narrative. Typically, this focus on people involved an intensive search for 3D assets, but with AI, we could more effectively convey the desired sophistication.

Throughout our collaboration, the pavilion’s context, initially described as nestled in a dense forest, evolved into a more open, residential setting with another building in proximity. Adjusting the visuals and animations to reflect the actual site became an exercise in balancing the imagined with the real, a dynamic that shaped the final series of images.