PIX: Inside the Luminarium - A wonder of beauty and light

Luminarium, an inflatable sculpture by British artist Alan Parkinson, is 1,000 square metres and sits on the grounds of the United Nations in Geneva.

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Easy to erect, laying out the structure and anchoring can take as little as 4 hours then, in just 20 minutes, the luminarium is inflated to its monumental size, the 'Architects of Air' states.

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Until June 14, 2013, diplomats, UN officials, school children and communities will be offered inside the 1000 square metre (10764 square feet) structure, financed by the United Kingdom Mission to the UN, to think more creatively about how to make the work of the Human Rights Councils better understood through discussions and art performances.

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British artist Alan Parkinson started experimenting with pneumatic sculptures in the I980s. They are made of a plastic produced uniquely for 'Architects of Air'. Only four colours of plastic are used to generate a great diversity of subtle hues.

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The principal difference between different luminaria is in the rendering of the domes and in the layout of the tunnels.

The domes are the large chambers rising up to 10 metres high that provide the focal points. The tunnels connect the domes and determine the journey the visitor will take.

The luminaria also feature 'pods' -- alcoves where people can sit and relax out of the way of the other visitors, states the 'Architects of Air'.

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Around 20 elements go into the making of each luminarium, which are zipped together on site.

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British artist Alan Parkinson poses in his inflatable sculpture called Luminarium before its opening on the ground of the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva.

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