Air Apparent, ASU Skyspace (Tempe, AZ)
Air Apparent is James Turrell’s public Skyspace meditation chamber, unveiled in October 2012 at Arizona State University. Designed in collaboration with architect William P. Bruder and landscape architect Christy Ten Eyck, the piece pays homage to traditional Hohokam shade structures and pit houses, translated into a minimalist pavilion of concrete, steel, and softly perforated stainless-steel screens.
Constructed over approximately one year, Air Apparent features a 45-foot × 45-foot steel ceiling plate with a 15-foot roof aperture that frames the sky overhead. Inside, a granite bench surrounds the perimeter and 480 LED lights animate the space at sunrise and sunset, shifting color to shape perceptions of light and sky.
Open to the public 24/7, it serves as a “spa for consciousness”- inviting contemplation, community, and scientific curiosity amidst the bustle of the ASU research campus. This Skyspace is a celebrated example of Turrell’s architectural installations - one of over eighty worldwide—exploring the intersection of light, space, and human perception,
© 2019 jc buck
