The next best thing to James Turrell’s Skyspace at the Henry is Dan Corson’s temporary installation Grotesque Arabesque, a calming indoor grotto in the heart of Belltown. And it’s free! Up in the U District, how many students really need a place to chill? How stressful can college be? Downtown, Corson’s cave is a perfect Zen retreat for us harried office workers: green, luminescent light strips undulating above (like stalactites) reflected in the water pool below (like stalagmites). The rest of the lofty expanse—set in the middle of an architecture firm—glows a relaxing blue hue, and the only sound is the gentle hiss of the A/C. (Thank God, no Eraserhead soundtrack for once.) Local artist Corson says he was inspired by spelunking in caves Europe, where bioluminescent algae casts an eerie light. Closer to home, the Corson grotto is an ideal midday meditation center, only without benches that might encourage you to linger before returning to the harsh, bright world outside. (Buzz for entry.) BRIAN MILLER

Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts: Sept. 18. Continues through Dec. 18, 2009