Hayden Manders
Pop-Up Space for A Performance
All design boils down to one moment, one detail that reflects both the essence and total scope of a project. I created a pop-up space for public performances out of dichroic plexiglass, in an effort to capture the sublime through its iridescence. The simple joining of equilateral triangles of dichroic plexiglass to an aluminum hexagon that’s been folded along certain line segments is a relatively simple means of assembly, and allows for infinite possibilities in terms of form.
For this project, I analyzed both Grand Central Station and a parking lot under the High Line on 10th Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets. I created configurations that allow for optimal seating and a nicely proportioned bandshell for the performers. At Grand Central, the performance space focuses on the clock to bring awareness to time as being part of the sublime, whereas at the High Line, the bandshell blurs the line between the High Line and the surrounding cityscape. A landscape of iridescent planes becomes a performance itself as light reflects inside and outside the structure.
