GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A massive inflatable art installation designed to transform visitors’ perception of light and color offers an otherworldly experience in Grand Rapids during ArtPrize 2025.
Arborialis Luminarium, created by internationally renowned UK-based company Architects of Air, is located at 555 Monroe Ave. NW from Friday, Sept. 19 through Saturday, Oct. 4, the end of the international art competition.
The luminarium represents more than three decades of artistic innovation from British artist Alan Parkinson. His company has toured these monumental inflatable structures globally for 32 years from their workshop in Nottingham, England.
“When people come in the first thing they notice is that there’s no white light in here,” said John Owens, a manager with Architects of Air. “It’s a way of escaping really from the outside life that’s going on all around you.”
The structure features three colored domes and a three-story central dome that filters natural daylight through a thin PVC material.
The installation spans 9,000 square feet or half the size of a soccer field yet uses material only a third of a millimeter thin.
“We have a main central dome which is almost like a cathedral onion dome which is quite beautiful and has a very unexpected strange acoustics which we always like people to try out when they stand in the middle,” Owens said.
Visitors move through different colored chambers with leaf motif patterns, each offering a unique visual environment as the absence of white light changes how colors appear, according to Owens.
The visual world of Arborialis is enhanced by the ambient natural sounds of the ‘Song of Danu’, created by Irish composer Dr Michael Morris.
Accessibility stands as a cornerstone of the project’s design philosophy.
“That’s what’s really important for Architects of Air, this is a structure for everybody. It’s all ages, from the smallest baby to the eldest person for all abilities,” Owens said. “It’s for everyone.”
Unlike typical ArtPrize installations, Arborialis operates as a ticketed experience separate from the free citywide art celebration. The installation is not an official ArtPrize entry, so it is not eligible for public voting.
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A small team fabricates each luminarium annually in Nottingham while retiring an older one, ensuring the global touring collection remains fresh.
The specialized PVC material allows the structure to be shaped according to Parkinson’s designs while permitting colored daylight to penetrate and making the entire installation portable despite its enormous size.
“For something that’s half the size of a soccer field, we can actually fit it into a small enough area to transport it the world and let everybody of all abilities, experience it,” Owens said.
The Arborialis Luminarium will be open daily (closed Mondays) from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the last entry at 5:30 p.m.
Presale tickets are available online at a discounted price, and visitors are encouraged to wear socks as shoes must be removed before entering.
The installation is designed to be accessible for all, and an on-site beer garden will be available for guests aged 21 and older.
Visitors can pick time slots and purchase tickets here.
Advance ticket holders must arrive 10 minutes before the time indicated on the ticket and will have priority access up to 30 minutes from the time indicated on the ticket. A small queue should still be expected.
The opening celebration for ArtPrize is downtown Friday, Sept. 19, with live music and family friendly programming at Rosa Parks Circle on Friday, Sept. 19. A parade and fireworks highlight the evening. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.