Here are some images of an inflatable concert hall designed by architect Arata Isozaki and artist Anish Kapoor to tour parts of Japan affected by the earthquake and tsunami earlier this year.
Once complete, the mobile Ark Nova pavilion will stage music and dance performances for victims of the disaster.
The red stretchy skin of the hall is modelled on Kapoor’s orb-like Leviathan sculptures, which we featured on Dezeen back in June.
The venue will seat between 500 and 700 spectators and is designed to enable quick erection and dismantling.
The Lucerne Festival in Switzerland initiated the project, alongside music management agency Kajimoto.
Other disaster relief projects in Japan include temporary homes in shipping containers - see all our stories about helping Japan's recovery here.
Here's some more details about the project from the organisers:
Ark Nova – A Tribute to Higashi Nihon
A mobile concert hall for the devastated regions in Japan
Using music to bring hope and promise to those who are suffering from the tragic major earthquake in Japan on March 11, 2011: this is the idea and goal of a special project entitled “ARK NOVA – A Tribute to Higashi Nihon.”
The star architect Arata Isozaki, working together with the Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, is developing a mobile concert hall in which, starting in the spring of 2012, works of high artistic quality will be presented in various locations throughout the devastated region. The project was initiated by the LUCERNE FESTIVAL along with the Japanese concert and artist management agency Kajimoto.
A devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the Higashi-Nihon region of northern Japan on March 11, 2011. Much has already been accomplished thanks to extensive national and international assistance, and reconstruction is in full swing. Of course, the people in the region are still suffering from the direct and indirect consequences of this tragic catastrophe and are mourning the loss of family and friends. A project by the name of “ARK NOVA – A Tribute to Higashi Nihon” has the goal of bringing new hope and promise to the people in this region through music and art.
Under the direction of Arata Isozaki, one of the world’s most sought-after architects, a mobile concert hall is being built, one that can be transported to various locations in the devastated region. The multi- component design includes a hall with seating for between 500 to 700 spectators. The inflatable shell is made of an elastic material that allows quick erection and dismantling. Isozaki is working on this project in close collaboration with the Indian-born British sculptor Anish Kapoor, who is responsible for the design of the building’s shell. Kapoor’s inflatable sculpture “Leviathan” displayed at this year’s Monumenta is serving as a model for the project. Yasuhisa Toyota from Nagata Acoustics is responsible for the hall’s acoustic design, and David Staples from Theatre Projects in London is acting as the specialist theatre consultant.
The hall will be called ARK NOVA and provide an absolutely unique platform for performances and appearances encompassing classical music, jazz, dance, multimedia and interdisciplinary artistic projects by leading artists and ensembles from around the world. An artistic committee with renowned personalities associated with the LUCERNE FESTIVAL will support the program planning. The performances are intended to be supported by sponsors and supporters in order to provide the population of the region with free access to the programs being presented.
