The world’s first inflatable concert hall is here. And it sort of looks like a giant violet donut dropped into the landscape. Called Ark Nova, the structure was dreamed up by artist Anish Kapoor and the late architect Arata Isozaki.
Originally created in response to the 2011 Fukushima disaster, it was designed to bring culture and comfort to communities in need.
Made from a luminous PVC skin, Ark Nova is held aloft entirely by air. No beams, no steel, just pressurized pneumatics and clever engineering.
Two cranes and about an hour of setup are all it takes to transform a flat site into a 300-seat performance space. It’s amazing to see the soaring heights of this structure, and realize it’s all held up with air, and clever engineering.
By day, natural light filters through its skin, casting the interior in shifting violet tones.
By night, it glows like a lantern, hovering somewhere between sculpture and architecture. Its acoustics, refined and intimate, prove that lightweight design doesn’t mean compromising on sound.
Ark Nova is a fascinating vision. Playful, portable, and fully about the experience, it reimagines how we gather around music.
Set here for Switzerland’s Lucerne Festival, it’s a unique landmark that showcases fascinating design and a love for music and performance.
Design by Anish Kapoor & Arata Isozaki. Via Yanko Design.
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