Major art installations play a big part in creating the atmosphere at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and this year’s standout is Spectra, a seven-story observation tower with windows in all colors of the rainbow.
It can be seen from nearly anywhere on the grounds of the desert festival, and stepping inside provides panoramic views and a respite from the heat since it’s air conditioned.
NEWSUBSTANCE, the British firm that designed Spectra, transported the structural steel and acrylic window panels by ship, plane and train and assembled them on site, a process that began March 20 and ended hours before the festival gates opened Friday.
Designed specifically for Coachella’s desert valley setting, the tower “gives you a really compelling, unique outlook,” said NEWSUBSTANCE Projects Director Mungo Denison said. “Every twist and turn you make, the site is framed in a different color wash.”
At night, more than 6,000 feet of LED tape lights up the structure, silhouetting the viewers inside.
Allan Chadwick, of Riverside, said he liked the structure better at night. He came to the festival with wife Tricia, daughter Skylar, 15, and son Evan, 12.
Spectra is a nice alternative to the Ferris wheel for taking pictures, Tricia Chadwick said. She liked the blue windows best, while Skylar preferred red and Evan’s favorites were green.
Allan Chadwick said he noticed window washers inside after dark and it almost looked like they were performing.
“It’s almost like a social experiment,” he said. When you step inside, “You become part of the installation.”
NEWSUBSTANCE’s Patrick O’Mahoney, who designed the piece, said he hopes it will give repeat festival goers a different way of looking at a familiar place.
“The festival is so busy,” he said. “We wanted people to come in here and take a bit of time out.”
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- How to do Coachella without ever stepping foot onto the Empire Polo Club in Indio
- All photos from Weekend 1
- Photos of the bands and their fans on the first Friday
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- Photos of festival fashion and outfits from Weekend 1
- Sign up for our new Festival Pass newsletter
