Design influences for this UNIQLO sponsored competition include Japanese tradition, the vibrant NYC streetscape, and Modern Art + Architecture in a natural setting. 


Inspired by Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, this public sculpture is designed to take on a life of its own. Responding to the divisive global & domestic sentiment following the 2016 US election, this artwork provides a framework to express renewed hope for the future. ‘Community wishing plaques’ attached to the vertical metal mesh panels animate and populate this public sculpture. A new built-in bench parallel to the existing park benches is conducive to conversations between small groups.





At the sculpture’s unveiling, transit commuters and passersby will be invited to write or draw on the plaques. The ‘wishing plaques’ will also be distributed to local students for contributing thoughts & artwork. A participatory, crowd-sourced artwork, the sculpture is shaped by the hopes and wishes of the local Bronx community. With the motion of the wind, the plaques will create a comforting sound reminiscent of wind chimes, offsetting the cacophany and traffic noise of the city beyond.

Project type: Concept, UNIQLO / NYC Arts in the Park Competition

Team: Natalie Cheng, Simona Regolo

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