The world of inflatable architecture takes center stage in Switzerland this September as Anish Kapoor and the late Arata Isozaki’s Ark Nova makes its long-awaited European debut. Unveiled as part of Lucerne Festival 2025, the mobile concert hall rises on the lakeside Lidoweise park from September 4th to 14th, transforming the landscape into a space where sculpture, architecture, and sound converge.
Ark Nova: a symbol of renewal
Originally conceived in 2013 in response to Japan’s devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Ark Nova was designed as both an architectural experiment and a symbol of resilience. Created by Kapoor and Isozaki in collaboration with Michael Haefliger and Masahide Kajimoto, the structure merges Kapoor’s fascination with organic voids and Isozaki’s vision of mobility. Measuring 18 meters in height and 36 meters in length, the inflatable concert hall accommodates up to 300 visitors in Lucerne, creating an intimate yet otherworldly performance environment.
Lucerne Festival 2025: a living cultural hub
The Lucerne Festival 2025 features eleven days of concerts inside Ark Nova, ranging from classical symphonies to folk, jazz, and experimental sound. Beyond its musical program, the festival embraces the idea of open cultural access, offering free sessions, family-friendly events, and participatory workshops that invite the public to experience Ark Nova beyond the traditional concert format.
By blending immersive performance, sculptural presence, and public engagement, Ark Nova at Lucerne Festival 2025 reaffirms the power of art and architecture to unite communities. Both ephemeral and monumental, it stands as a reminder that resilience can take shape not only in steel and stone but also in the lightness of an inflatable membrane filled with music and hope.
Photography by SERAINA WIRZ