Client: 23rd Street/Flatiron Partnership and the Van Alen Institute

Location: New York, NY, United States

Completion date: 2019

Project Team

Artist Team

Nancy Hou and Josh de Sousa

Fabrication

A05 Studio

Overview

Winning design competition entry for a holiday pavilion to be used by the general public. The project is 17ft x 40ft x 9ft tall. The project consists of painted rebar, paracord and zip ties.

Goals

Ziggy celebrates the holiday season with vibrant hues and playful gestures. Located between Broadway, 5th Ave and 23rd Street, the project softly ricochets between the narrow bounds of its triangular site, effectively echoing the urban and architectural context while establishing a broad structural footprint.

A collection of apertures and thresholds frame views of the Flatiron District’s many attractions and landmarks while also welcoming visitors and allowing for a steady stream of locals to pass by unimpeded. For those seeking a moment of respite, the design is accentuated by several “gateways” which have been upended to serve as benches.

The thin linear elements that define Ziggy’s porous composition are lightweight, visually transparent and impervious to wind. As one encounters the piece, its 27,000 feet of iridescent cord visually converges and dynamically filters the surrounding context with shifting colors, patterns and light. Ziggy is a kaleidoscopic beacon, designed for the people of New York.

Thanks to our collaborators, the engineers at Schlaich Bergermann Partner as well as A05 Studio, who fabricated the steel structure.

Process

My partner Nancy Hou and I designed the piece. Our studio is called Hou de Sousa. We also attached the Paracord, while A05 Studio fabricated the steel framing.