In celebration of Swarovski’s 120th anniversary in 2015, the renowned crystal company commissioned architect Fernando Romero to create an installation exploring humankind’s relationship with the sun. Titled El Sol, this monumental piece is a geodesic sphere designed to be one billion times smaller than the actual sun. It is composed of nearly 3,000 custom-made Swarovski crystals, each precision-cut to enhance the installation’s light-reflecting capabilities.

Drawing inspiration from the sacred geometries of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, who constructed pyramids as platforms to observe celestial events, Romero sought to honor this ancient legacy. By blending modern technology with cultural heritage, he achieved a striking piece that required over 350 hours of engineering work and three months of intensive design and technical development at Swarovski’s headquarters in Wattens, Austria.

El Sol features a spherical matrix structure that creates a dynamic visual experience. Its outer surface weaves together four types of specially developed crystals coated in Swarovski’s iconic Aurora Borealis finish. Each crystal is internally faceted to amplify and refract the light emitted by a core of LEDs, evoking the vibrant, ever-changing surface of the sun.

Originally created for Design Miami/—the renowned global design forum held in parallel with Art Basel Miami—El Sol has since been installed at Kristallwelten, Swarovski’s visitor center in Austria, where it continues to captivate audiences. Fernando Romero also designed an El Sol-inspired product line, including jewelry, lighting, and home accessories. Before reaching its permanent home, El Sol was showcased at the Swarovski pavilion at Zona Maco, Mexico City’s premier contemporary art fair, in February 2017.