PULLMAN, Wash. – “Miracoca,” engineered to be one of the largest-domed luminarium ever built, is now open to WSU students, employees and visitors in the Palouse.
(Click to enlarge photos)Presented by the Architects of Air, based in Nottingham, UK, the luminarium is designed to provide “visual surprise and excitement into the environment and to create the optimum conditions where people can be moved to a sense of wonder through the particular phenomenon of luminous color.” Now located at Grimes Way Playfield, 1950 Grimes Way, Miracoca will be open to the public 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, April 23-25, and 11 a.m -5 p.m. Saturday, April 26. Suggested donations for admission are $5 for WSU students and $10 for others.
Inspired by Lotus Temple in India
Built in 2011, the giant inflatable walk-through, made of colored PVC, filters the daylight to create a changeable experience inside. Its design was inspired by the Lotus Temple in India. More than 2 million visitors in 40 countries across five continents have visited the luminaria. The luminaria are made from plastic that is made specifically for the Architects of Air, which is currently the only group creating luminaria. They are made from only four different colors that overlap and combine to create a full color spectrum inside each tunnel of the dome. Each luminarium is comprised of multiple modules that are zipped together on site and inflated. They range in size up to 1000 square meters or 10,764 square feet.
Accessible
The event is hosted by the WSU Student Entertainment Board arts committee. The structure is accessible to wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult (maximum of four children per adult). For more information, see the Architects of Air website at http://www.architects-of-air.com.
Photos by Shelly Hanks, WSU Photo Services