The Color Inside – James Turrell Skyspace
Austin, Texas, USA
Contemporary chapel – a serene elliptical sanctuary inviting visitors on a contemplative journey and creating a space for deep, communal meditation.
Client
Project Size
Completed
Associates
Commissioned by the University of Texas at Austin’s Landmarks public art program, The Color Inside is a transformative work by internationally acclaimed artist James Turrell. This project addresses the student body’s need for a serene retreat within the bustling Student Activity Center. Turrell, a pioneer of the “light and space” movement, envisioned this piece as an inhabitable artwork centered around an oculus that opens to the sky, creating a space for deep, communal meditation.
OVERLAND Partners was entrusted with materializing Turrell’s vision, navigating significant challenges related to maintaining artistic integrity while meeting practical requirements. The team immersed themselves in Turrell’s work, visiting his Skyspaces and Roden Crater, and collaborated closely with students through workshops to align the design with their needs.
Constructing The Color Inside required overcoming technical obstacles, such as moisture control and material durability, which led to consulting with NASA experts. The result is an elliptical sanctuary that invites visitors to a contemplative journey, enhanced by LED lighting that shifts colors at dawn and dusk. The space has quickly become a cherished refuge, offering both meditation and connection for its users.
Awards
2014 Architizer A+ Architecture + Collaboration Honorable Mention
2014 Americans for the Arts Year in Review: Best Public Art Projects
2014 World Architecture News Colour in Architecture Long List
Turrell has stated that “light is not so much something that reveals as it is the revelation,” meaning that light can be an inspiring art form in itself, rather than just a tool to illuminate something else. He often likens his work to the Quaker practices of his youth, in which engaging in silent prayer is described as “going inside to greet the light.”
Let’s create meaningful experiences that move and inspire.