American creative director and designer David Korins has created a light-filled stage in collaboration with Swarovski for the 94th Academy Awards ceremony – the Oscars 2022 – to be held at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on Sunday 27 March 2022.
Korins, who previously served as Wallpaper* Design Awards Judge in 2019, is no stranger to mesmerising Oscars sets, having also created a stage for the 2019 edition that focused on themes of storytelling and inclusivity.
Oscars set 2022
Based on hypnotising geometric forms, the Oscars 2022 stage is described by Korins as ‘a dynamic portal into the future in which we trade in the currency of electricity and elegance. A future where community and togetherness are front and centre and everything and everyone gets their own special moment to shine.’
The design comprises an illuminated domed shape over the stage with concentric illuminated orbs enriched by crystals, offering the illusion of depth. To bring this vision to life, Korins collaborated with hundreds of artisans, whose work over thousands of hours created the Swarovski elements of the stage.
An important element of the evening’s presentation is the smaller, jutting stage, offering winners an immersive experience: ‘We are decking over large sections of the audience to have winners and presenters literally immersed in a sea of their peers,’ commented Korins as he revealed his design through social media. ‘It felt natural, that as we move together into this new era of storytelling, we did so in the most potent possible way, as one.’
Throughout the night, the installation is set to come to life through a curtain made from 80,000 crystals, the dynamic design offering a fitting celebratory backdrop to the Oscars’ return to the legendary Dolby Theatre.
‘The Academy Awards are rare in that there is no “script” or prescribed narrative to drive the look of the show,’ continued Korins, as he presented the design’s first look on Instagram. ‘At what feels like an extremely important time for humanity, I feel so humbled to be making a statement about where we are headed in the future with this design. Our statement for the future is about inclusivity, community, and a world that boldly and unapologetically glows with positivity from the inside.’
Detail of David Korins' Oscars 2022 set.
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