Groundbreaking Inflatable Space Revolutionizes and Moves Conventional Concert Experience
In the picturesque Swiss city of Lucerne, the conventional concert experience has been transformed. This year, Lucerne Festival did not occur within a typical venue with four walls, nor on a conventional stage. Instead, the music festival took place inside Ark Nova, an inflatable concert hall crafted by British artist Anish Kapoor and the late architect Arata Isozaki.
Monumental, surprising, and distinctly modern, Ark Nova was initially envisioned by Kapoor and Isozaki as a response to the 2011 Fukushima earthquake. The installation was subsequently revealed on September 27, 2013, in Matsushima, Japan, after two years of technical planning and construction. It then toured the flood-affected areas of the country, symbolizing hope, resilience, and unity through the musical events it held. More than ten years later, Ark Nova arrived in Lucerne, where it facilitated 35 concerts spanning classical, jazz, pop, and folk genres for audiences of up to 500 people at once.
These concerts were further enriched by the design’s architectural brilliance, most notably captured in its unique shape. From the outside, the hall rises to a height of 36 meters (approximately 118 feet) and resembles a bean, its center hollow and providing a brief view of the sky above. Its exterior is coated in an opaque purple, beautifully reflecting light while adding an element of mystery and intrigue. Upon entering, however, one encounters an atmosphere awash in a translucent red. Here, too, is Ark Nova’s most unique attribute: an internal tube that elegantly intersects the space. It is visually captivating and also performs a functional role in regulating acoustics within the venue.
Overall, Ark Nova exemplifies how concert spaces can be reimagined as immersive, sculptural masterpieces. For its stint in Lucerne, the structure also accommodated sing-alongs, workshops, and other interactive musical experiences, further blending everyday life with an artistic context. In addition to the concerts inside Ark Nova, the festival presented a corresponding exhibition at the Hans Erni Museum highlighting the structure’s evolution.
“The launch of Ark Nova in Lucerne signifies a milestone—a testament to the capacity of culture to unite individuals and foster hope,” stated Michael Haefliger, executive and artistic director of Lucerne Festival.
Lucerne Festival ran from August 12 to September 14, 2025. To find out more about Ark Nova and the concerts it hosted, visit the Lucerne Festival website.
Ark Nova, an inflatable concert hall created by Anish Kapoor and the late Arata Isozaki, recently arrived in Lucerne for the city’s music festival. The structure was originally conceived in response to the 2011 Fukushima disaster, serving as a symbol of hope, resilience, and unity through its musical events.