Commercial Snowflakes

For the St. Albert shopping mall, TBKD fabricated a collection of 24 oversized commercial snowflakes designed to bring a striking winter atmosphere to shopping mall environments. The project included 18 large snowflakes measuring six feet in diameter and six smaller versions measuring three feet in diameter.

Finished in glacier blue with a sparkling glitter surface, the snowflakes were designed to hang from the ceiling and create a suspended winter display. Although each snowflake appears as a dimensional sculptural form when installed, its construction is surprisingly practical.

Large-scale seasonal displays can transform the atmosphere of a shopping centre, turning open public spaces into immersive holiday environments. For the St. Albert shopping mall, TBKD produced 24 custom snowflake displays in two different sizes. The collection included 18 six-foot commercial snowflakes and six three-foot commercial snowflakes, allowing the oversized forms to be used alongside smaller complementary pieces.

Suspended overhead, the giant snowflakes create visual interest throughout the space without occupying valuable floor area. Their glacier blue colour and sparkling finish establish a cohesive winter theme while their dimensional construction gives them presence from multiple viewing angles.

Despite their impressive six-foot diameter, the snowflakes were constructed using lightweight expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam.

This made it possible to create large decorative forms without the unnecessary weight of heavier construction materials. The foam components were hard-coated to provide a more durable finished surface before being painted and decorated.

Lightweight commercial snowflakes are particularly valuable for hanging mall decor, where the overall weight of each suspended element is an important consideration during planning and installation.

One of the defining features of the project is the way these commercial snowflakes are assembled. Rather than fabricating a bulky three-dimensional object that would require substantial storage space, each snowflake consists of two separate flat sections. The pieces slot together at a 90-degree angle, creating a dimensional form with greater visual volume than a conventional flat snowflake.

When the season is over, the sections can be separated and stored flat. This significantly reduces their storage footprint and makes handling and storage more practical for future seasonal installations. The construction also allows the snowflakes to be assembled when needed rather than occupying their full assembled volume throughout transportation and storage.

The finished appearance was developed around a cool glacier blue colour palette with a sparkling glitter surface. Each EPS foam snowflake was hard-coated, painted and finished with glitter to create a reflective winter look that catches the light from different angles.

The combination of oversized scale, dimensional construction and sparkling surface treatment gives the collection a distinctive presence as a suspended seasonal display.

All 24 commercial snowflakes were equipped with a hook for ceiling suspension, allowing them to become part of the overhead visual environment. Suspended seasonal decorations are an effective way to introduce large-scale visual elements into shopping centres while keeping walkways, retail areas and common spaces clear.

The lightweight foam construction and integrated hanging points were incorporated into the fabrication so each snowflake could be handled and installed as a finished decorative element.

Commercial seasonal decorations often need to do more than look impressive during the holiday season. They also need to be practical to handle, install, dismantle and store between uses.

The Primaris REIT snowflakes were designed with these requirements in mind. Their lightweight EPS foam construction makes the large forms easier to handle, while the two-piece slot-together design allows them to be dismantled into flat sections after use.

By considering storage and assembly as part of the original fabrication, TBKD created a collection of oversized snowflake displays that combines visual impact with practical seasonal reuse.