Inside and out, the Dodecalis Luminarium is undoubtedly eye-catching. The design installation, which has travelled to 43 countries, has now arrived at Expo 2020 Dubai, where it is welcoming visitors at the Festival Garden.
On the outside, the inflatable structure looks like a playground with its dodecahedron-inspired plastic shapes that look like stars and an octopus. Inside, the work reveals itself as a luminarium, a structure specifically designed to showcase light and colour.
Made by UK arts organisation Architects of Air, it comprises a series of tunnels and rooms, with different sections casting off different light showcases, from laser-green patterns on the dome ceiling to deep, dramatic reds.
Architecture, design and light come together to give visitors an experience that plays with orientation and space, as well as provide a chance to explore these colourful artificial environments and be entertained.
This is part of the intention of Alan Parkinson, the founder and designer of Architects of Air, who made his first pneumatic sculptures in the 1980s. His company has set up more than 500 exhibits such as Dodecalis Luminarium around the world.
Because of the material of the structure, the outside light affects the colours and vibrance of the interiors, creating a shifting experience throughout the day. Architects of Air have shown similar installations, such as the Daedalum, a maze made up of 19 interconnected egg-shaped domes, seen in London in 2019.
In describing the piece in Dubai, Parkinson referred to it as “somewhere between a womb and a cathedral”, saying that visitors’ “encounter with the phenomenon of light” can open up to consolation or inspiration.
The installation borrows from works by artists such as Olafur Eliasson, whose large-scale and immersive installations makes use of light, air and water, and James Turrell, whose practice explores the materiality of light and its effects on human perception. Turrell is known for his contemplative "skyspaces", which bring natural light into a space through an aperture, as well as his shifting light sculptures.
With its playful exterior and labyrinthine interior, the Dodecalis Luminarium appeals to people across all ages. Currently, the installation at Expo 2020 Dubai has a reduced capacity, accepting 56 guests at a time.
Entry to Dodecalis Luminarium is free. The installation is open from 10am to 10pm on weekdays; 11am to 11.20pm on weekends. More information is available at expo2020dubai.com
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
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