twilight epiphany skyspace at rice university

'twilight epiphany' skyspace at rice university by james turrell, 2012
all images courtesy of rice university
rice university has shared with designboom 'twilight epiphany' skyspace created for the institution by american artist james turrell. the pyramid-like sculpture, 
architecturally devised by thomas phifer and partners, with linbeck as the contractor, interacts with both the rising and setting texan sun as a sequence 
of programed  LED lights dance across the structure's ceiling in sync with these particular moments of light which occur with earth's constant state 
of revolution around the star.  

in the morning, the light show begins forty minutes before the first glimpse of sunlight, where in the evening, the display begins with the slow disappearance 
of the sun's glow. 'twilight epiphany' joins in with the natural movement of light in its color alteration upon the building's ceiling, which may be viewed 
from both in and outdoors and in a variety of weather conditions. the color of the sky will be complimented by those pictured upon the underside 
of the structure's roof, though the most powerful views are said to be seen only from the interior of the space, as the brightening sky is famed 
by the brilliant shifting of shades belonging to 'twilight epiphany'. during the hours of daylight, the structure remains open to the public so that visitors 
may wander through the central space of the installation, closing only for the night. 

'twilight epiphany' is planted as a 12-foot-high and 72 x 72 foot white roof parallel to the grass berm just below which steeply rises from the flattened stretch 
of green near the university's school of music. viewing areas have been built into both the upper and lower segments of the structure, offering a perspective
from both locations which pictures the sky through a 14 x 14 foot opening in the square roof's central space. the roof of the skyspace is formed 
'from engineered materials with a carbon-steel knife edge', says the university. while the lower seating area is crafted from pink and grey texas granite 
from mable falls, seating belonging to the upper segment is a poured-concrete bench system.  



view into the building's interior theater



the roof turns pink as the evening sky's colors shift as well



picturing the square structure from one of its four corners



the opening of 'twilight epiphany'



'the turrell skyspace at rice university' by rice university