PARENTHESIS INSTALLATION BRINGS PEACE TO NYC

As part of NYCxDesign and Design Pavilion 2018, the busiest location in New York City, Times Square, has been transformed into a meditative spot by Amsterdam-based architecture firm ZU Studio.

In this age of technological revolution, when our lives are becoming increasingly stressful, the studio’s aim is to invite people to experience stillness, awareness, serenity and peacefulness in the most crowded and noisy public plaza in the world.

“We started analysing the daily body postures of human beings,” explains the ZU team. “Our working and living environments are changing as our necessities evolve, but somehow furniture hasn’t changed that much in terms of functionality. We are willing to explore and discover new body postures. We are conscious of the impact of body positions on people’s physical and mental health.”

Together with the first prototype, the ZU team and Design Pavilion presents a new verb, ‘re-lying’, a beneficial action for our respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems. Re-lying reduces the pressure on the lumbar discs, reduces your heart rate, improves your breathing and can reduce anxiety.

The circular disposition of the installation stands as a sign of love, peace and unity between human beings, as the seven furniture pieces honour seven chakras in the body. The design team wants to implement this concept into airports, museums, schools, offices and public spaces across the world.