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Over the next 12 days, every New Yorker will have an eye for design.
The annual citywide celebration NYCxDESIGN launched in Times Square Friday morning, kicking off multiple days of design-themed activities and events across all five boroughs.
Not far from a previous winner of an NYCxDesign Award, the bright red TKTS steps, the physical hub of this year’s festivities was officially unveiled to the public: an inflatable pavilion structure from the British studio Inflate. The structure will welcome visitors during the day and also put on a spectacular light show every night.
“Now in its sixth year, NYCxDESIGN is bigger and better than ever,” said Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen. “The citywide celebration of design unites all types of designers and premier institutions to showcase the industry's thriving presence and economic importance here in New York.”
Intriguing, interactive works of design surround the pavilion throughout Times Square, including a circle of reclining “anti-gravity” seats from zU-studio architecture and a square of whirly-twirly top-like seats you can spin around on from MIO. At the south end of the plaza, the brand new Design Lab showcases a selection of designs meant to enhance public spaces including playground-like houses for climbing and innovative seating with greenery. (There’s also a bookshelf full of books, in case you have some time to kill during your lunch hour.)
Elsewhere in the city over the next two weeks, be sure to check out some of the other highlights of the festival including DRINKSxDESIGN which will highlight innovative cocktail creations from some of the city’s best bars (Temple Court and Untitled are a few of the participants), a site-specific installation at A/D/O in Greenpoint and a first look at the new development coming to the historic Essex Street Market.
For the full lineup, of NYCxDESIGN events, head to the festival’s official site.