Van Alen Institute Archives

Join The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership + Van Alen Institute on November 22nd to Kick-Off ’23 Days of Holiday Cheer’ & Unveiling of ‘Interwoven’ by Atelier Cho Thompson

Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership, Flatiron District, Van Alen Institute

Credit: Martin Beck, Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership

The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership and Van Alen Institute will unveil the winner of the eighth annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition: Interwoven, an interactive installation by design firm Atelier Cho Thompson. 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.

Join the Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership and Van Alen Institute in a preview of its tenth annual “23 Days of Flatiron Cheer” and unveiling of Interwoven on Monday, November 22nd from 5:30 ~ 7:30pm on the Flatiron North Public Plaza, 23rd Street between Broadway and Fifth Avenue. The festive event will feature remarks by organizers and Interwoven’s designers; live music from The Jazz Gallery; a raffle to win holiday gifts from local businesses and free hot beverages and small bites from local favorites Shake Shack, Flatiron Plate, and Eataly. Attendees will receive NYC souvenirs gifted by Memories of New York while supplies last and can enter a raffle to win prizes from Center for Book Arts, Hole in The Wall, Gotham Glow, Project Gaia, Scampi, and Taïm.

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Breathing Pavilion by Ekene Ijeoma arrives on The Plaza @300 Ashland, Brooklyn

Brooklyn, Van Alen Institute

Breathing Pavilion by Ekene Ijeoma. Photo credit: Kris Graves courtesy Van Alen Institute

At this time of great hardship and loss, Breathing Pavilion by Ekene Ijeoma offers a public space for communal meditation, self-reflection, and interconnectedness.

Breathing Pavilion comprises a 30-foot circle of 20 illuminated inflatable columns. These columns slowly modulate in brightness to illustrate a deep breathing technique designed to bring calm. Sit or stand around the pavilion, syncopating your breath with the lights and attuning yourself to a shared rhythm.

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Van Alen Institute and Urban Design Forum Expand COVID-19 Response Initiative ‘Neighborhoods Now.’

COVID-19, The Urban Design Forum, Urban Design, Van Alen Institute

Guidelines: NYC Parks Department Requirements on Gatherings. Images courtesy Van Alen Institute and Urban Design Forum

The Urban Design Forum and Van Alen Institute today announced the expansion of Neighborhoods Now, a COVID-19 response initiative that connects New York City’s hard-hit neighborhoods with coalitions of architects, designers, engineers, lawyers, and planners providing pro bono expertise. From February to June 2021, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE)and Think!Chinatown, Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association, and Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc) will lead community working groups in Chinatown, the East Village and Lower East Side, and the South Bronx. Each group aims to convert underutilized outdoor spaces as sites for local programming and cultural revitalization. The Forum and Van Alen have granted each community partner $10,000 to implement these strategies, and will provide additional fundraising support as funds become available. Since April 2020, initiative has assisted more than 100 restaurants, small businesses, and cultural organizations.

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Point of Action by Studio Cooke John will be the 7th Annual Flatiron Public Plaza Design Installation

Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership, Van Alen Institute

Point of Action. Photo credit: Cameron Blaylock

The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership and Van Alen Institute today announced their selection for the seventh annual Flatiron Public Plaza Design Installation: Point of Action by Studio Cooke John. Point of Action will be on view November 23, 2020–January 1, 2021 in the Flatiron Public Plazas on Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street in Manhattan, creating a highly visible landmark throughout the holidays.

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Van Alen + NYC Council Announce ‘Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge’ Winners!

Architecture, Design, NYC Council, Van Alen Institute

Winning design in the Young Adult category ~ Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge, DoLookDown

(August 17, 2020—New York, NY)—Van Alen Institute and the New York City Council today announced the winning proposals for Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge, an international design competition that aims to spark a new public conversation about New York City’s infrastructure. As made even more clear by the COVID-19 pandemic, public spaces and transportation options must be designed with equity, health, and sustainability at their core. With this in mind, the competition’s winning designs reclaim the bridge’s roadways for expanded pedestrian and cyclist use. By centering climate action, social equity, and creative expression, they also put forth strategies that could improve wellbeing in public spaces across New York City. Continue reading “Van Alen + NYC Council Announce ‘Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge’ Winners!” →