The Art of Fog Indeed. Jem Glaciator at A1 Lounge

With the A1 Lounge on Vienna´s Mariahilferstrasse, telecommunications company Mobilkom Austria has created an entirely new store concept. Close cooperation with leading Austrian artists and designers resulted in the creation of a "third place”, a reference to a location that, next to the workplace and home, forms the most important place in one´s life.

A1 Lounge
The A1 Lounge offers Mobilkom Austria the opportunity to present products, services and future technologies to customers in a tangible, one-of-a-kind way. At the same time it is a concept store - a multi-sensory experience - where Austrian artists have created a harmonious whole with a real experiential character. There are areas for entertainment, meetings and conferences, as well as a unique shopping space.

In designing the A1 Lounge, every detail was considered and integrated into a complete concept. As Mobilkom Austria themselves state, they chose “only the best of the best for the A1 Lounge project”. The most distinctive feature may well be the artistic concept that permeates the entire store. The design team EOOS, has created a space conceived as a complete experience. The entire lounge forms an interface between virtual and "real" products, between the present and the future.

Glaciator transcendence
One of the most unique aspects of A1 is the 12 x 8 meter glass façade that forms a hollow space into which clouds of fog are blown by three Jem Glaciator heavy fog machines. Using a special control system, the distribution of the fog can be regulated so that different scenarios can be created at different times of the day. During the daylight hours for example, sunlight from the south-facing facade is filtered through the fog barrier. At night, the lighting reverses, with light radiating from indoors out into the street. The cloud facade symbolizes transcendence - the limits of the tangible world and entrance into another – and the effect serves to further intensify the store´s unique look.

Entering the store itself is like stepping into a mysterious, fog-shrouded future. The entrance is a sliding door that pushes the fog clouds aside as patrons pass through. One enters the store through a tunnel of fog, lit by an illuminated glass floor. The shop occupies 150 square meters on the ground floor and is lit by sunlight passing through light openings in the cloud facade.

The three Jem Glaciator heavy fog machines ensure even and continuous fog dispersion without the need for additional gas bottles or dry ice. Also, maintenance costs are low. In order to ensure optimal continuous operation, Martin Professional created a special fog fluid characterized by low consumption and minimal residue.

This spectacular and innovative architectural fog installation with very low TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) was carried out by the Viennese company MT Electronic in co-operation with its partner Martin Architectural. The lighting concept was developed and implemented by Zumtobel in cooperation with EOOS especially for the A1 Lounge.