More than three million visitors in 43 countries have been entranced by it so far, and from 5 February, Expo 2020 Dubai visitors can experience Architects of Air’s luminarium – an immersive installation comprising a maze of tunnels made from inflatable material and bathed in a spectrum of colours on the inside.
The luminarium, called Dodecalis, is described as being somewhere between a womb and a cathedral. Named after the dodecahedron – the 12-sided Platonic solid based on pentagons – its main feature is three domes. The different coloured lighting visitors see on the inside is created by light shining through the coloured plastic from outside. Each experience is unique as the light changes due to the time of day or the weather.
Alan Parkinson, the founder and designer of Architects of Air, first started experimenting with pneumatic sculptures, which use gas or pressurised air to make inflatable structures, in the 1980s. For Dodecalis, he was inspired by a variety of architectural styles, including Gothic cathedrals, Islamic architecture and the work of innovators like Gaudi, Frei Otto, and Buckminster Fuller.
Alan Parkinson said: “There’s the enclosure, the feeling of being enveloped – the security of the cave, a tent. [It is] elemental in the human need for security and sanctuary. And then there’s the human hunger for stimulation; we build labyrinths for people to explore, where they can lose themselves, take pleasure in the uncertainty of disorientation and primed for some fresh discovery.
“Finally, there’s the spiritual – the need to find meaning – and so we frame the light in an elevating architecture that is somewhere between a womb and a cathedral. There the encounter with the phenomenon of light can be inspiring, consoling – whatever the person seeks.”
Aimed at all ages, the installation is a feast for the senses, creating a sense of wonder in all who enter the labyrinthine installation, enhanced by a specially-designed, subtle soundscape. The latest version of the dome includes luminous lines intertwined on the interior walls of the three domes, which, together with the rainbow hues make for an amazing Instagrammable experience.
In order to ensure visitors’ continued safety, mandatory mask-wearing will be enforced, both while queueing for the attraction, as well as inside the artwork. The installation usually can accommodate 80 people but capacity has been reduced to 70 per cent or 56 guests at a time, and the flow of guests will be controlled by the installation’s managers. Powerful air conditioning filters will change the entire volume of air within the structure every 10 minutes. The structures will also be cleaned and misted hourly during opening hours and then be cleaned again each evening.
Construction of the artwork begins on 1 February on the lawn at Expo 2020 Dubai’s Al Forsan Park, and the installation will be open from 5 February until 31 March. Weekday visiting times are from 1000 GST with the last entry at 2200 GST, and from 1100 GST on weekends, with the last entry at 2300 GST. Entry is free and the structure is accessible to people of determination.
