Scheduled to be up and running this summer, the Mercedes House by Ten Arquitectos will provide a fresh new look to the bustling streets of Midtown Manhattan. With spectacular views of De Witt Clinton Park and the Hudson River, the building zig zags vertically and diagonally to preserve city side streets.
The winding feature of the structure also allows for each residential unit to enjoy natural light and air throughout the day, and many even have their very own rooftop garden. The massive 1.3 million sq ft structure features 865 residential units, commercial and storage spaces, a neighborhood market, health club, horse stables for the NYPD, and of course, a state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz dealership.
Canadian environmental artist Nicole Dextras creates large ice sculptures to form letters and words as part of her Ice Topography installation series. She made the icy block letters, which range from 18 inches to 8 feet tall, by pouring water into a very large mould and then freezing it. She then assembled the letters to create words and strategically placed them against beautiful scene which were then photographed and shared with those who were not fortunate enough to see this installation in person.
Dextras leaves the blocks of ice out, allowing nature to take its course as the installation melts away. As she states, “This phase of transition becomes symbolic of the interconnectedness of language and culture to the land as they are affected by time and by a constant shifting and transforming nature.”
These words are more than just pretty blocks of ice. Rather, they’re also food for thought. “Words cast in ice interrupt our literal narratives, allowing a more integrated reading of the land we inhabit, as opposed to the past and current commodification of land as limitless resource,” she says. “This fundamental split in perception lies at the crux of our environmental crisis. I therefore choose to create within an ephemeral vernacular to accentuate the collective physical and psychological experience of flux and change.”
nicoledextras.com
