Connect the Dots – Graduate Class Project
The city of New York is dynamic and ever-inspiring, due to its diversity. It serves as a stage where humans can connect with each other. Places like the High Line are a confluence point for visitors, where numerous people come from all over the world – on one walkway. I wanted to create something that would bring these people together and create awareness about the level of diversity in a place like the High line. Being an international student myself, I know how special it is to feel like you’re a part of something in a city like New York. Now, imagine going to The High Line and seeing a real time visual representation displaying where everyone’s come from. Enter – Connect the Dots!
Installation (Front)
Inside the Installation
Project Overview
Connect The Dots is a ‘sight’ based interactive installation at the Spur on The High Line, one of the most popular spots for tourists and locals alike. This sculpture is shaped like a series of half-circles forming a tunnel, with multiple protruding knobs on the outside. The concept is to have strings in seven colors- such as yellow, red, orange, green, blue and purple. There are seven continents in the world, and each continent has an assigned color on the key-map. Visitors would be welcome to grab a strand of the color of their homeland, and tie it across any two knobs. Multiple strands tied will result in an explosion of colors, lines and shapes on this installation- making the passage fascinating to pass through, and also serve as a great photo-op for everyone. At night, the strands could glow in their respective colors, bringing wonder and light to a somewhat dimly-lit Spur. One good look at these colors and the key-map alongside will give the visitors a good idea of the kind of people that are present at the site; and would also give them a great opportunity to interact with the people from their land and others that they might find fascinating. This installation activates the sense of ‘sight’, and gives visitors a chance to actually make the installation come to life with their own two hands.
Visitors can walk around as well as inside the tunnel, where they are met with reflective colorful panels for the perfect photo-op! The installation provides shade during the sunny days and also has seating around to maintain the comfort and reliability of the spur. Additionally, the seating serves a dynamic purpose with in built drawers that contain the magic ingredient- the colorful strings!
I wanted the people to feel like they’re home, and to recognize their community as well as others’. The experience is completed by kiosks surrounding the installation containing the key map for the colors and the countries; signages in and around the high line, way finding in the form of floor graphics, and merchandise for the visitors to take home- so that this feeling remains with them even after they’ve experienced it.
An installation like this would be interactive and interesting for adults and kids both. They would be excited to represent their country and have a sense of contribution and belongingness on such a popular and wonderful site. This would serve as an opportunity to interact with your own community, communities of diversity, and would be a sight to see on The High Line.
Installation (side view)
Sketches & Process
Logo
Elevation
Collaterals
Project Details
Design Team
Tanisi Ghosh
Photo Credits
Tanisi Ghosh (photography)