The Ötztal Valley is among the most stunning and picturesque in all of Europe. Large swaths of the Austrian Alps are inaccessible to all but the most adventurous travelers, however the Alpine resort of Sölden offers skiers and day-trippers a glimpse of the valley from atop the summit of Gaislachkogl Mountain. Now, the ski-centric resort is looking to give fans — Bond fans — another reason to visit with a one-of-a-kind museum to honor the decades-long franchise.
The aptly named 007 Elements is part museum and part interactive installation. The location — 10,000 feet above sea level atop Gaislachkogl Mountain — is dramatic enough, and the building that will house the exhibit is just as stunning. The stark, Brutalist-inspired glass and concrete structure could well have been the headquarters of any number of Bond villains. The 4,300-square-foot museum is spread across two levels with tunnel-like floor plans and floor-to-ceiling windows that afford breathtaking views of the Tyrolean valley. It’s all set to an intense, cinematic soundtrack designed to intensify the experience.
The interior is equally as modern. The sleek, cavernous spaces are dotted with state-of-the-art installations that carefully spell out the essential “elements” (get it?) of a proper Bond film. The museum’s exhibits lean heavily on the exotic and one-of-a-kind cars found in the franchise’s 26 films. In particular, it focuses on 2015’s Spectre, which was filmed largely in Austria. Beyond the array of iconic Aston Martin rides, Jaguar Land Rover was featured heavily in the latest flicks — nine in total. The collection will include the Range Rover Sport SVR, the Land Rover Defender, and the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUV. Most notable, however, is a wireframe model of the Jaguar C-X75 concept ], a $1.5 million stunner featured in the high-speed Rome chase scenes in Spectre.
The world-class museum brings together Neal Callow (who served as art director during the Daniel Craig era of Spectre, Skyfall, Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace) as the project’s creative director and Tino Schaedler (head of design for Optimist Inc.,an ultra-progressive creative agency). Describing the first-of-its-kind installation, Callow notes: “Our aim with 007 Element is to tell the story of the making of 007 films in an ultra-modern, emotive, and engaging way. We want to use this incredible location to place our guests into Bond’s environment, and bring the stories to life in a unique and unforgettable way.” Judging by the architecture alone, it seems likely they’ll succeed in doing just that.
The 007 ELEMENTS installation is scheduled to open summer 2018 with advanced tickets available for purchase via the Sölden website.
