Times Square Heart Concept
Architecture, Exhibition
Entry for an invited competition to design the 12th Annual Valentine's Day Heart sculpture in Times Square
Stop Hate. Choose Love.
Isometric was one of six firms invited by the Times Square Alliance and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum to submit a proposal for the 12th Annual Valentine’s Day Heart sculpture in Times Square. We proposed a 22’x30’ curved enclosure made of two, large, quarter-inch bent steel panels, coated with reflective paint, and inscribed with the words, “Stop Hate” and “Choose Love.” New York City has long prided itself on being the place where the world meets—where everyone is welcome and where every person’s story matters. The installation reflects these values back to New Yorkers and visitors, and it takes a bold stance on inclusion, one informed not merely by multiculturalism and diversity but also by speaking truth to power and lifting each other up.
A Public Declaration of Shared Values
The sculpture would rise to 10 feet at its highest point, and it would lower steadily to 14 inches at its lowest point, framing visitors in the energy and diversity of Times Square—a place where all kinds of love are welcomed and celebrated. New Yorkers and tourists alike would see themselves reflected in the context of a positive and affirming statement declared in a public space, providing a sense of shared community and solidarity. The installation would define a tangible place, where visitors could embrace their lovers and their fellow human beings.
