https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/999543/Audi-Nines-21---Design-Fly-Through

Feature concepts at the Audi Nines have channelled a wide variety of influences over the years, from medieval architecture (“castles out of snow”) to more recent, science fiction-inspired creations.In2021, the Audi Nines have collaborated with Sebastian Gehwolf to “hack” the set up and introduce his own vision.

"The result is a stunning synthesis of function and style that will amaze snow park fans and design aficionados alike. Excited by this unique opportunity, Gehwolf saw parallels to his usual work.“When designing a car, there are functional aspects that have priority above aesthetics,” he explains.“Similarly, with a snow feature, it first needs to fulfil the requirement of being a place of progression for the best athletes in the world. But in the end, both a car and a snow feature should be pleasing to the eye.” “Design and aesthetics have always been an important aspect of the Audi Nines,” says event founder Nico Zacek. “The result of Sebastian’s vision is something that we never could have hoped to dream of. Through this collaborative approach, we’ve built a bridge between action sports and design to truly reach a new level for both fields.”

In its new location at the resort of Crans-Montana in, Valais, Switzerland, the 2021 Audi Nines set up offers a variety of different jumps, rails and other features to challenge a carefully selected crew of the world’s best freestyle skiers and snowboarders.

The venue centres around a double-sided main feature complex that is approachable from opposite directions. In front of the stunning backdrop of the Swiss Alps, riders will fly past each other in dizzying displays of athletic prowess while exploring the setup’s myriad possibilities. The design features a massive step-up and other innovations include a massive snow sphere 8 meters in diamete. Finally, a rail set up designed with input from JesperTjäder.

The difficulties of setting up an international sporting event in 2021 —limiting the time for organizing Nines— only makes this year's course even more impressive. What do you want to see next week?

Let us know in the comments what you want to see at Audi Nines 2021.