ARK NOVA, an inflatable concert hall designed by Anish Kapoor and Arata Isozaki for the Lucerne Festival, brings music and hope to Matsushima, Japan a city recovering from the devastating 2011 earthquake.
© Seraina Wirz
To develop the event space container were invited the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, a big name in the panorama of Japanese architecture and British indian born, sculptor Anish Kapoor.
© Seraina Wirz
Such a union could not have other results that were not a majestic space, imposing, but at the same time simplistic, minimalist and a tremendous emotional burden. Thus arises the NEW ARK inflatable concert hall. An organic structure – where one can review some of the works of Kapoor – ballon -like architecture for its construction in light textile.
© Seraina Wirz
Its interior can hold up to 500 people seated in handmade furniture, with a stage to accommodate an entire orchestra or some other venues. The outer purple fabric envisions a magical interior, but the interior light variations make the sensory experience even greater. The New Ark is the way how Isozaki Kapoor wanted to bring hope and encouragement to Matsushima inhabitants in the form of music and a temporal structure, movable and sturdy.
© Seraina Wirz
The speed of installation of all this structure may be the ideal metaphor on how the japanese people reacted from a natural disaster or other catastrophe.
© Seraina Wirz
The Lucerne Festival New Ark is the place for various concerts and workshops of traditional and contemporary music .
© Seraina Wirz
Project info:
Architects: Kapoor , Isozaki
Photographer: Seraina Wirz
Location: Lucerne, Switzerland
Anastasia Andreieva is an accomplished Architectural Projects Editor at Arch2O, bringing a unique blend of linguistic expertise and design enthusiasm to the team. Born and raised in Ukraine, she holds a Master’s degree in Languages from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Her deep passion for architecture and visual storytelling led her to transition from translation and editorial roles into the world of design media. With a keen eye for conceptual clarity and narrative structure, Anastasia curates and presents global architectural projects with precision and flair. She is particularly drawn to parametric and digital design, cultural context, and emerging voices in architecture. When I’m not analyzing the latest architectural trends, you’ll probably find me searching for hidden gems in cityscapes or appreciating the beauty of well-crafted spaces. After all, great design—like great connections—can be found in the most unexpected places. Speaking of connections, because architecture isn’t the only thing that brings people together.