Palm Temple

Inspired by Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence Cathedral, Sky Arts commissioned British artist Luke Jerram to create a dome for the modern era.

Palm Temple is Jerram’s response, and you’ll find it at Lewis Cubitt Square until 17 February.

Suspended in the apex of the dome is an ‘Extinction Bell’ which tolls once, 150-200 times a day, at random intervals, indicating the number of species lost worldwide every 24 hours. This estimate of species loss is according to a 2007 United Nations report. Raising awareness of biodiversity loss, the bell makes audible events which are invisible to us, and which are occurring simultaneously across the world in multiple habitats.

Placed in the urban landscape, Palm Temple connects the sky and clouds with the ground and changes colour with the changing weather and daylight. Step inside for a truly unique, immersive experience.

The project is part of a Sky Arts documentary series that marks the 600th anniversary of the construction of Brunelleschi’s dome – an engineering and artistic masterpiece. The series explores ancient and modern domes, from East to West and asks historians and architects from across the globe to explain why this ancestral architecture is so charming and yet still contemporary.