Slowly but surely, winter is creeping up on us – and with it the Christmas season. The first markets have opened and supermarkets are piled high with gingerbread and stollen. It’s that special time of year again, when some things simply belong: Twinkling lights and ice skating, for example. Christmas romantic Christopher Bauder, who has created a real winter wonderland of 250,000 lights in the middle of Berlin with his new art installation FOREST – WINTERLIGHTS, knows this too. Here you can not only admire the sparkle, but also glide through the light on ice skates and experience the poetic forest landscape like in a movie.
Berlin light and media artist Christopher Bauder has created a luminous landscape like something out of a fairy tale on an area of 1,000 square meters. The art spectacle takes place in the monumental transformer hall (Köpenicker Chaussee 46, 10317 Berlin), which was only reopened in March 2025. Dark Matter is known for its spectacular light and art experiences – but this one is something very special: an ice rink takes you right through the magic. The FOREST – WINTERLIGHTS installation is the perfect activity for family and friends at this magical time of year, when we feel so much warmth despite the cold. The forest landscape created by Bauder consists of around 600 floating trees and more than 250,000 lights that create a dreamlike atmosphere through color, shine and reflection.
Not only does the Christmas spirit come alive here, we also feel the warmth, security and love of the festive season gently under our skin. FOREST – WINTERLIGHTS is an experience that appeals to all the senses and transports us to distant worlds with its poetic staging. The gray winter days, the freezing hands and the short days – all that is forgotten here. The contemplative season takes on a new meaning in FOREST, making us feel at home. The upside-down fir trees are no coincidence: they go back to an old tradition from Eastern Europe and parts of Germany. They were believed to symbolize life, hope and protection from dark forces. Here, these ancient customs merge with innovative light art to create a modern ritual full of magic.
In 45-minute cycles, you can lose yourself in a narrative of light and sound. You will not only be enchanted visually – acoustically too: the soundtrack by Dutch musician Chris Kuijten takes you into spherical worlds of sound in which you can lose yourself completely. And a special highlight awaits: a 400 m² ice rink where you can hire ice skates on site and glide right through the glowing winter wonderland. Mulled wine, non-alcoholic punch and small seasonal specialties round off this unique experience.