You know how the saying goes: the more, the merrier! The Bjarke Ingels Group translated this idea into a physical reality for their latest project in New York City, a bright pink, 10-foot tall pulsing heart sculpture in the middle of Times Square New York. The hovering heart appears inside a cube of 400 clear acrylic rods that catch the brilliant LED lights of the beating heart. Activated by the warmth from visitors hands, the heart grows brighter as more people join together. If you want to make the heart glow, you better hurry, as the interactive installation ends this Wednesday, February 29.
Located near the bottom of the red TKTS stairs, BIG♥NYC was unveiled Monday, February 6 and will be on display through Wednesday, February 29. The sculpture refracts the bright lights of Times Square, and the heart glows an eye-popping pink, noticeable from blocks away. A few feet infront of the cube stands a circular stand with a red heart proclaiming “Touch Me!” By placing a hand on the red surface, the LED heart begins to beat. While one person can illuminate the sculpture, more people directly translates to more love and more light, as the heart glows brighter and stronger, directly reflecting the human energy in the heart of New York City.
BIG teamed up with Local Projects to make the sculpture interactive and Flatcut fabricated the 400 transparent rods. Silman Associates acted as the structural engineers and Zumtobel Lighting provided the LED technology. Presented by the Times Square Alliance, BIG♥NYC is the 4th annual Valentine’s Day sculpture in Times Square. The heart sculpture combines green technology, human energy, and a group mentality for a playful piece of public art that lights up the concrete jungle.
+ Bjarke Ingels Group
+ Times Square Alliance
photos © Jessica Dailey for Inhabitat
