

ark nova inflatable concert hall to tour japan’s flood-hit areas

image © lucerne festival arknova 2013

‘ark nova’, the world’s first inflatable concert hall, will soon tour areas of japan that were devastated in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. designed by british sculptor anish kapoor and japanese architect arata isozaki, the mobile structure will host world-class concerts, workshops, and both traditional and contemporary performance as part of the lucerne festival ark nova. the balloon-like architecture is stationed in matsushima city, which is still healing after being struck by the natural disaster, and the team behind its creation hopes to deliver encouragement and positivity in the form of music. the temporary structure holds about 500 people, whose luminescent purple walls create a billowing interior fitted with handcrafted benches and a stage. take a look at designboom’s coverage of the creative development, process sketches, and initial renderings of the project here.



as seen from above, ark nova will host world-class concerts and events

image © lucerne festival arknova 2013



the huge purple bubble is made from a thin membrane that can be easily inflated

image courtesy of lucerne festival



a team working to inflate the mobile unit

image © lucerne festival arknova 2013



the balloon-like architecture easily deflates and can become a temporary, movable structure

image courtesy of lucerne festival



interior purple walls billow into a spherical shape

image © lucerne festival arknova 2013



colorful magenta walls are made of a thin, balloon-like sheet

image courtesy of lucerne festival



the temporary structure holds about 500 people

image © lucerne festival arknova 2013



ark nova, lit from within

image © lucerne festival arknova 2013