Interwoven Flatiron

Martin Seck

• Architects

Atelier Cho Thompson was selected as the winner of the eighth annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition sponsored by the Van Alen Institute & Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership.The project, entitled Interwoven, will be on view November 22, 2021–January 2, 2022 in the Flatiron North Public Plaza on Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street, creating a highly visible landmark in the heart of Manhattan throughout the holidays.

Interwoven celebrates the joys of intersecting with our community in public space. Inspired by the dynamic geometry of intersections that form the Flatiron Building’s shape and America's woven tapestry of cultures, the installation is an unfolding set of interactive archways. When two people cross matching arches, synchronized lights and melodious sounds are activated, inviting visitors to join in a playful shared experience. Musicians were invited to respond to the theme of the installation, including several original compositions which were then set to synchronized lighting effects in the installation.

The installation's interactive story wall, made of backlit papers hung on a grid, invites visitors to share responses to the prompt: “I dream of a world where together we can…” The resulting narratives will become a patchwork of voices documenting this challenging yet hopeful moment. The prompt was selected by Youth Fellows from the People’s Bus NYC, a community-led, intergenerational initiative focused on engaging people in NYC’s civic life through beauty and joy.

The project team includes in-kind sponsors MHA Engineering, Lam Partners, Indistinguishable from Magic, Hunter Douglas and 3form, LLI Architectural Lighting, EcoSupply, Fusion Optix, and Cadwell Signs. This project would not have been possible without donations and support from Stand with Asian Americans / Asian Pacific Fund, Lauren Chew, Alicia Cho & Ben King, and an anonymous donor. Fabrication and site installation will be completed by Smart Department Fabrication, Inc.