Pentalum

Pentalum luminarium is a sculpture people enter to be immersed in radiant light and colour.

Inspired by the beauty of natural geometry and Islamic architecture, the Architects of Air created the Pentalum with winding passages, domes and pods where you can sit down and absorb the ambience.

The Pentalum is the only bit of Milton Keynes’ International Festival that I have managed to see and be a part of. Having moved to Bedford now, and with the Bedford River Festival taking top priority last weekend, it hasn’t been practical for me to see, for myself, all of what’s been going on in MK over the last 10 days. I’m glad mum and I made it to the Pentalum, on the festival’s last day, this afternoon though, as it was pretty impressive.

Onigawara: The Gargoyles of Japan

I am a big fan of the kind of gargoyles that you get on old churches, cathedrals and medieval architecture in general. As far as I’m aware, gargoyles are generally a typically European thing – maybe with some appearing in American and Canadian architecture (but they probably got it from Britain and France anyway!). But when I visited Japan, in April, I discovered that they have something very similar within their traditional architecture.

“Onigawara, literally ‘goblin tile’, are decorative roof tiles typically placed at the ends of the main ridge on temple structures, shrines, and residences. […] The term is also used for decorative roof tiles in the shape of flowers or animals. The goblin-faced Onigawara is one of many decorative elements found in Japanese religious architecture. Other examples include the magical shishi (lion dog), the elephant-like Baku creature (thought to devour nightmares) and the dragon. […] Today Onigawara are found most frequently on temple structures.” – Onigawara