Architects of Air brings otherworldly experience to downtown Pittsburgh
"Daedalum," the latest work by the British group Architects of Air, will be in Pittsburgh through Sept. 4.
Inside the dome of Architect of Air's "Daedalum"
Being inside the Architect of Air's inflatable structure can be like being in a labyrinth.
A general view of "Daedalum"
Architects of Air's "Daedalum" is in Pittsburgh in the Backyard at 8th & Penn.
“Daedalum” is cool.
In both senses of the word.
The inflated work of art that is half the size of a football field is definitely a place that people can escape to on hot summer days in the city, thanks to the fact that it is constantly pumped full of cool, fresh air. But “Daedalum,” the latest creation of the British arts group Architects of Air, is also cool in that it’s an otherworldly space that Scott Shiller, the senior vice president of artistic planning and venues for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, likens to being inside a video game, a spaceship or “a habitat in a foreign, alien world.”
“It’s a very serene space and a very exciting, adventurous space,” Shiller added. “What guests will experience is like walking into a stained glass window. … You have the feeling of being inside a work of art or a foreign environment.”
“Daedalum” opened earlier this month and will be in downtown Pittsburgh through Monday, Sept. 4. Located at the Backyard at 8th & Penn, the luminarium and its domes, tunnels and pods are the brainchild of British artist Alan Parkinson, who created his first inflatable, walk-in sculpture in 1992. In a 2019 interview with architecture and design magazine Dezeen, Parkinson explained, “I design the structure to create a particular encounter with the phenomenon of light. I devise an architecture to encourage a sense of wonder. … It’s transient and aspires to be utopian in a way that permanent architecture, with its feet on the ground, is often not allowed to be.”
Parkinson and Architects of Air have created a succession of luminaria over the last three decades, and he said “Daedalum” is meant to be “the most mysterious of our luminaria in terms of the journey our visitors would take inside.”
“Daedalum” is named for Daedalus, the father of Icarus in Greek mythology and the architect of the labyrinth of King Minos of Crete. It has a maze of 19 egg-shaped domes, and its main dome has variable color according its position and the sun’s direction. The pattern of the ceiling in the structure’s main dome was inspired by Rome’s Pantheon and work by the French artist Gustav Dore.
Parkinson said, “What motivates me to design is the fact that I continue to be struck by the beauty of light and color found in the luminaria. These structures nurture an awareness of a pure phenomenon that gently cuts through everyday conditioned perceptions and awakens a sense of wonder in people.”
This is the first time an Architects of Air creation has been in Pittsburgh in close to a decade. Visitors have to remove their shoes before they enter “Daedalum” as well as any sharp objects they might have. But it’s accessible for those with disabilities, and its capacity is limited to 80 people at any given time. It should take about 30 minutes to get through “Daedalum,” although visitors can stay as long as they want, according to Shiller.
“They can find a quiet place in the structure for reading or meditating,” he said.
Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday throughout its run, and noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Additional information is available at TrustArts.org or by calling 412-456-6666.