SOFTlab’s “Nova” installation is winner of second annual design competition (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
North Flatiron Public Plaza
Median at intersection of Broadway, Fifth Ave., and 23rd St.
Through January 4, free
www.flatirondistrict.nyc
nova slideshow
The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership Business Improvement District’s “23 Days of Flatiron Cheer” may be over, but the centerpiece of the holiday celebration will be delighting visitors through January 4. On North Flatiron Public Plaza, the median at the intersection of Broadway, Fifth Ave., and 23rd St., New York City design studio SOFTlab has installed “Nova,” winner of the second annual Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Design Competition, held in conjunction with the Van Alen Institute. “Nova” is an abstract seven-starred gazebo that people can walk inside to experience colorful kaleidoscopic views of themselves and the surrounding area — Madison Square Park, the Flatiron Building, the Met Life Tower, passing traffic — reflected in cones that are angled toward various local landmarks. The outside of the pavilion consists of aluminum panels, giving it an otherworldly appearance, like an alien space ship, while the arched interior is constructed of crystalline cells composed of acrylic laminated with 3M Dichroic Film. The three-dimensional cells light up at night, giving it an extraterrestrial glow. “Nova” will remain on the plaza until January 4, after which it will beam back home.