Architects of Air build ‘luminaria’ – monumental inflatable structures designed to generate a sense of wonder at the beauty of light and colour.
Since 1992 Architects of Air’s luminaria have made over 500 exhibitions in 37 countries. From Berlin to Brooklyn, Hong Kong to Hawaii, Taipei to Tel Aviv, Sao Paulo to the Sydney Opera House, the monumental walk-in sculptures of Architects of Air have enchanted audiences around the world.
Visitors remove their shoes before entering an airlock. Once inside they can wander freely or just lay back and enjoy the ambience of the structure.
The first reaction is often one of delight at the unexpected beauty of the light.
The radiance of the daylight transmitted by the coloured pvc of the luminarium is surprising in its luminosity and makes a direct impact on the senses.
Through labyrinthine tunnels and cavernous domes, visitors move in a medium of saturated and subtle hues. Vivid reflections of liquid colour spill across the curved walls creating a world apart from the normal and everyday.
Visitors are excited to discover how different colours blend or resonate; how they transform faces and clothing. Some explore, following their maps through the maze immersing themselves in radiant colour.
No two visits to a structure are alike as the atmosphere inside alters according to changing weather and changing light outside. The experience is also affected by how the public inhabits the luminarium.
It is a paradox that such a stimulating environment can simultaneously be so calming. Many people find the luminaria a place for rest or meditation.
Visitors try to put their experience into words – comparing the experience to being in a futuristic space station or the human body.
Sometimes the structure may be animated by a musician or a storyteller but, more often, the space is enjoyed in its simplicity. As such, it is appreciated by people of all ages from all backgrounds
In the course of the exhibition as many as 2000 visitors per day may have passed through the luminarium to have been touched by a sense of wonder at the beauty of light and colour.
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"Suddenly the world outside seemed to be forgotten, we had all been transported into a whole other world of light."
“One of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I was blissfully a child”
“…and then to tell people about it, it is just impossible to describe what you see. I was amazed by the colours.”
“My family found it a most magical experience. Personally I felt a calmness and sense of envelopment like nothing I've ever imagined."
“A sanctuary of the senses”
“People roamed about, pleasurably lost, smiling with wonder, delight and, who knows, perhaps something approaching contentment”.
“Somewhere between a womb and a cathedral”
“Transformative. People seemed to be taken…brought back to a place of tranquility and joy."
“The effect as you wander through is simultaneously disorienting and comforting, stimulating and serene. This is a place for respite, re-charge or both.”
