SAKS The Great Wall — Keanne Petrie

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows 2015: The Great Wall of China (Sketch, Courtesy of Just So)

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows 2015: The Great Wall of China (Virtual Model)

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows 2015: The Great Wall of China (Virtual Model Floor Detail)

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows 2015: The Great Wall of China (Plexiglass, Wax, LEDs; 6' x 2' x 3.5')

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows 2015: The Great Wall of China Detail (Plexiglass, Wax, LEDs; 6' x 2' x 3.5')

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows 2015: The Great Wall of China (Plexiglass, Wax, LEDs; 6' x 2' x 3.5')

In 2015 I was responsible for sculpting and creating several elements of the Saks Fifth Fifth Avenue holiday windows. These elements included a frozen Colosseum, An icy Great Wall of China, snowy hills, and illuminated clouds.

The Great Wall consisted of a laser cut and laser etched pieces that were assembled to fit into a foam floor. Like the Colosseum, The ground plan of the floor and walls were based off of a sketch from the design firm and an exact template created by the drafters. The walls and ledges were dressed with synthetic snow and wax.

The floor was crafted with foam and a hotwire. To accurately form the peaks and valleys the draftsman cut a section every 24 inches on the model to draw a grid to help with scaling the curves to the full size. After the cutting and shaping of the floor, it was laminated with fiberglass and plaster knowing that it would have to be strong enough to be walked on for the final install. The result was an eight piece floor that had to be puzzle pieced together and finished on site to cover any seams after installing.