Munich, Germany

Traditional flair and lasting memories!

MK Illumination Austria aimed to tell a story about Munich and Bavaria, using cultural features and symbols to bring the uniqueness of the city and the region to life. By building on existing brand elements and a selection of Munich landmarks, we used festive lighting to emphasise the city’s strong identity, much to the delight of visitors from Munich and further afield. The result was a unique, custom-designed concept that emphasised Munich as a Christmas destination.

The central design element was the state symbol of Bavaria, the blue and white rhombus that is officially used as something akin to a "small Bavarian state coat of arms", which we incorporated into almost every motif. The motif of the Schäffler (cooper or barrel maker), an essential character in the well-established dance tradition, helped to build awareness of this feature of Bavarian culture, and the resulting Insta-Photo point attracted significant interest, with over 1,000 selfies sharing the tradition across the globe. 

Thanks to our modular approach, the resulting festive lighting installations have also provided Munich with an opportunity to highlight public spaces, like squares, throughout the year. We are currently working with the city to adapt elements of their festive lighting to provide unique settings for other events,  including the European Football Championship, Oktoberfest, the Auer Dult and many more. In doing so, Munich will be harnessing the power of light to enhance its status as a destination long after winter has passed.