Proposal for the Downtown Alliance, New York, 2009

Underglow, a light installation inside six bays of a sidewalk shed, uses multiple colors of LEDs, high intensity prismatic reflective sheeting made for road signs, and fluorescent lights combine to create shimmering, illuminated environment.  Underglow consists of a series of panels mounted to the ceiling and wall of each bay of a sidewalk shed. The panels’ forms are determined by the structure’s posts and cross-bracing, to create a unified, harmonic whole.

Underglow is constructed of materials intended for industrial use, and located on a construction site.  Its location in a gritty, harshly built structure contrasts with its celestial design to create a sense of surprise and delight. Underglow converts our contemporary urban experience into a new kind of space, similar to an ancient cathedral covered with Byzantine mosaics.