Client: Climate Museum Launch Project Pop Up Show, Pier 26 in NYC
Client Need: To create a model for a temporary, participatory installation about climate change.
Goal: To create an inclusive event space for grappling with controversial topics, while illustrating the topics in the build work.
Solution: The 350 PPM Ball Pit equalizes visitors through play during a three day summer festival. The overall scheme contains a variety of continuous ball pit gathering pools that beat the ball pit world record by a factor of ten. The ratio of red to yellow balls demonstrates the 350 ppm ratio goal for how much C02 is in the atmosphere. The materials for the project up-cycle discarded renovation and recreation material. Balls are sourced from ball pit rental companies. I designed the ball pit to be built by primarily unskilled volunteers through simple actions.
Three Primary Gathering Pools:
In the below diagram, yellow represents the 40,000 sq. ft. continuous ball pit and the blue represents the decking and walkways. Blue walkways passing within the yellow pit are boardwalks, habitable above and below. As the pools progress down the pier, the depth changes from 1 ft. in the children's playground to four feet in parts of the auditorium.
Minimizing Material Impact:
For the basin, above ground swimming pools from New Jersey will be up-cycled and New York City office carpet padding will line the floor. Shallower areas will be walled with milk crate islands. The deck will be made from milk crates and boardwalk from reclaimed wood. The shade structure will be made from ceiling tiles and blinds.
Volunteers Needed:
Many hands make light work. Unskilled volunteers are needed to build most of the ball pit, seen in the image below. Skilled volunteers build the boardwalks and help with AV set up and lighting. Hands on not your style? Volunteers are also needed to help welcome and run the event.
Event Program:
Activities range from small group ball pit aerobics, lectures by climate scientists, debates, and marco polo to huge dance parties! Partially programmed by the event committee, your community action board, book club, or running group can host an activity too! We also have plenty of chill space for those who just want to hang at a ball pit beach.
Who can come?
Everyone is welcome! We look forward to receiving all ages, nationalities, genders, and political associations into our energetic and inclusive atmosphere for dialog and exploration.
Everyone is welcome! We look forward to receiving all ages, nationalities, genders, and political associations into our energetic and inclusive atmosphere for dialog and exploration.
People enjoy "swimming" in the central pool of the world record setting ball pit will filled with 350ppm of red "CO2 molecules. Many have anticipated the opening of the event and have helped build the structure and proposed activities.
Children play in the ball pit playground in the pool nearest shore. Parents lay out towels and picnics on the shady deck. A solar power parade promenades along the rim walkway.
Gathered for a lecture and music combo series, hundreds of energetic visitors sit in grandstands filled with balls that extend the ball pit up into a taco shell shape. Others invent new dance moves in the ball pit standing section surrounding the stage.
Let's unite over play!
