Anish Kapoor and Arata Isozaki’s Inflatable "Ark Nova" Touches Down in Switzerland

Summary

• The Lucerne Festival in Switzerland is currently staging a music series housed within Anish Kapoor and Arata Isozaki’s inflatable “Ark Nova” concert hall
• Part sculpture, part architectural intervention the piece, defined by its mobility and structural flexibility, was created in 2013 as a symbol of resilience

“Ark Nova,” the first inflatable concert hall designed by Anish Kapoor and the late Arata Isozaki, has taken shape in Switzerland for the occasion of this year’s Lucerne Festival. For the next several days, the massive purple bloom will play host to a range of classical, jazz and folk concerts, for a one-of-a-kind experience of music and art.

First unveiled at the festival’s Matsuhima edition in 2013, the project was born in the aftermath of the Fukushima earthquake as a symbol of resilience and hope. Equal parts sculptural and architectural wonder, the piece presents a flexible, roving beacon of sound and light, carrying with it the possibility of renewal through its ethereal form.

Stretching 36 meters long and 18 meters high, the pavilion accommodates up to 500 people. Its inflatable PVC membrane channels both Kapoor’s exploration of void and space, as seen in his 2011 work Leviathan, and Isozaki’s structural surrealism, resulting in a dually poetic and practical volume, engineered to deliver rich acoustics.

Alongside performances inside “Ark Nova,” the festival is offering a guided tour of the structure, in addition to a special exhibition at the Hans Erni Museum, which explores the development of the hall, through models, sketches and archival materials. The “Ark Nova” series at the 2025 Lucerne Festival runs through September 14. Head to the festival’s website for more information.