11 Dec 2019
Hou de Sousa create "kaleidoscopic beacon" for New York plaza
BY Stu Robarts
Hou de Sousa have created a playful, colourful installation for New York's Flatiron Public Plaza that filters its surroundings with shifting patterns, colour and light as people move around it.
Ziggy was created for the annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition, which has been running since 2014.
The call for proposals sought a "highly visible temporary landmark" for what is a relatively small triangular site.
The lightweight installation, described by the Flatiron Partnership as a "kaleidoscopic beacon", is constructed from painted rebar and 27,000ft (8,200m) of iridescent cord.
It's curved, winding form frames the surroundings through different apertures when viewed from different perspectives, while the patterns and effects created by the lengths of cord change dynamically as the viewer moves.
Curves or troughs in the design also double as places for people to sit, rest and enjoy the artwork.
Josh de Sousa, principal and co-founder of Hou de Sousa, said: "Ziggy is a polyvalent creature that strings together gateways, apertures and seating. This porous wall welcomes folks arriving from all directions while ringing in the holiday season with a flourish of colour and light."
Ziggy was installed in November and is in situ until 1 January 2020.
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