
“Happy,” the seasonal installation at the Flatiron Plaza (Photo by Maria Rocha-Buschel)
By Maria Rocha-Buschel
The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership officially debuted the public art installation “Happy” to kick off the holiday festivities in the neighborhood this past Monday evening.
Architect Benjamin Cadena designed the installation through the fifth annual Flatiron Plaza Holiday Design Competition with the Department of Transportation arts program and the Van Alen Institute.
Cadena said that he wanted to design something that felt warm during the colder months but also that would cheer up passersby suffering from the winter blues.
“With the cold winter, I wanted to make a space that looks and feels warmer but I also wanted to project a positive object that makes you feel good,” he said. “I also wanted to do something a little different from the past installations and define a specific space, embracing the whole plaza.”