Big Heart Sculpture
Using human touch to power the heart of Times Square.
Overview
Times Square is the busiest intersection in the world, yet it can feel isolating. For the Times Square Alliance's annual design competition, we partnered with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to create a sculpture that rewarded connection. We didn't just want visitors to look at the art; we wanted them to power it. By creating a physical loop of energy, BIG♥NYC transformed a crowd of strangers into a living circuit of light.
Partners
BIG Architects, Flat Cut (Fabricators)
Services
Interaction Design
The Details
The 10-foot cube was made of 400 transparent tubes, but the real material was people. A sensor allowed a single person to activate the glowing heart, but the algorithm was designed to scale: as more people joined hands to form a human chain, the heart beat faster and burned brighter. This simple technological intervention proved a profound social truth: the city is only as bright as the connections between us.
