FREE ME
A network of inflatables for 14th street proposed by Harrison Atelier
Proposed site for “Free Me,” 14th street between 8th and 9th avenues
There is always the secret hope that behind plywood construction walls lie, not another skyscraper or storefront, but playful landscapes that offers some freedom from the grid of real-estate logics. “Free Me” beckons passers-by to come closer and to embrace the potential of an unknown entity hidden behind the city’s construction. In doing so, the installation hopes to free passers-by from the mental habit of urban armor its self-imposed constraints on imagination.
This installation seeks to playfully inspire imagination, responsiveness and pleasure in one’s informal experience of the city street. While titled after the idea of an affectionate alien creature eager for human contact, the freedom we hope to provoke is that of imagining the city anew, to offer a visual relief from the landscapes of commerce and construction, and instead remind passers-by that this city in particular, has an affinity for the wildest of imaginations.
Harrison Atelier, 649 Morgan Avenue, 3F, Brooklyn NY 11222 www.harrisonatelier.com
Harrison Atelier, 649 Morgan Avenue, 3F, Brooklyn NY 11222 www.harrisonatelier.com
Prototype of inflatables used in Pharmacophore installation at the Storefront for Art and Architecture
Harrison Atelier, 649 Morgan Avenue, 3F, Brooklyn NY 11222 www.harrisonatelier.com
Materials: The installation comprises 10 star-shaped vinyl inflatables that, when lodged in a thin plywood framework, create a soft network of inflatable fingers. The plywood framework (two 4 x 8 sheets, routed out to accommodate the inflatables, braced by wooden supports is attached with L-brackets to the construction wall on 14th street (between 8th and 9th avenues).
Execution: Having built the plywood framework in our Brooklyn office, we would install the plywood frame, lodge in and pump up the inflatables and attach both plywood sheets to the construction fence. The base of the plywood rests on the sidewalk. We anticipate it requiring about one hour to install with our 4-person team.
Performance: The vinyl inflatables are waterproof and sturdy, and were tested in an installation at The Storefront for Art and Architecture in 2011. They are inflated by a bicycle pump and are lightweight, weighing no more that 2 pounds. If punctured in usage, we found that a clear vinyl tape can patch the hole and is not visible. We anticipate checking the installation on a daily basis, in order to check for repairs and to re-inflate.
Construction diagram
Harrison Atelier, 649 Morgan Avenue, 3F, Brooklyn NY 11222 www.harrisonatelier.com
Vinyl inflatable units for installation
Harrison Atelier, 649 Morgan Avenue, 3F, Brooklyn NY 11222 www.harrisonatelier.com
Elevation of “Free Me�
Harrison Atelier, 649 Morgan Avenue, 3F, Brooklyn NY 11222 www.harrisonatelier.com
Proposed site for “Free Me,� 14th street between 8th and 9th avenues
Harrison Atelier, 649 Morgan Avenue, 3F, Brooklyn NY 11222 www.harrisonatelier.com
H A R R I S O N AT E L I E R
HARRISON ATELIER 649 MORGAN AVENUE, 3F BROOKLYN, NY 11222 WWW.HARRISONATELIER.COM SKYPE: HARRISONATELIER ARIANE@HARRISONATELIER.COM SETH@HARRISONATELIER.COM ALEX@HARRISONATELIER.COM STEPHEN@HARISONATELIER.COM