Construction Process

Due to the unexpected weather changes and site limitation this year, we have faced
many problems and challenges. Our team had worked finding all difference solutions
to the problems and finally would be able to present you the stunning ice sculpture.

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Meet Our Team

This year, due to the COVID restriction, the Dutch team couldn't enter China, we rebuilt a local team to manage the construction.

Yiling Zhou 周轶玲
Project Manager

Prof. Arno Pronk
Project Consultant

Qingpeng Li 李清朋
Construction MANAGER

Elke Mergny
Structural Engineer

Zhimin Li 李志敏
Engineer Mechatronics

Zhengtao Wang 王峥涛

Hongjian Li 李宏健

Nan Xie 谢楠

Fan Yang 杨帆

Yang Peng 彭阳

Getting the shapeDec.17th

The key of the ice sculpture is to form a thin shell structure of about 5 cm thickness fiber-reinforced ice. Ice can be reinforced by adding (cellulose) fibers such as wood and paper. These fibers make the ice up to three times stronger and increase the ductility.

By spraying the fiber-reinforced ice mixture onto the inner model, thus achieving the complexity of the structures while maintaining the ice structural strength.The spraying works has to continue day and night. This will let the ice sculpture last as long as the weather condition allows.

Photo @harper30

Weather Condition - KAWS:HOLIDAY is "crying" Dec.15th

We are experiencing the 'unusual' warm temperatures on this year for almost 3 weeks, normally at this time of the year, it could reach at least -3 degrees at Changbai Mountain, but we are facing +10 degrees. The snow is melting and the earth is softening, which caused a huge setback for our progress.

Photo @Structuralice

Structural Foundation Dec.10th

Due to the complexity of the KAWS:HOLIDAY sculpture, an inner model of the sculpture is necessary.

The surface of the inner model was covered with a fabric to ensure a solid connection between the reinforced ice and the inner model. In order to achieve the iconic 'X X', we discovered a special waxing treatment preventing it to be covered from spraying ice.