Bubble. All images courtesy of Hou de Sousa, shared with permissionParticipatory Pavilions by Hou de Sousa Emerge from Colorful Lights and FacetsNovember 29, 2024DesignKate MothesFor Nancy Hou and Josh de Sousa, founders of design studio Hou de Sousa, urban thoroughfares and public squares are a blank canvas. The award-winning, New York-based team focuses on architectural installations and large-scale sculptures that invite visitors to experience their surroundings in new ways.Often employing vibrant color and glowing lighting effects to be enjoyed day or night, pieces like Bubble and Star Light Star Bright invite passersby to wander through and around undulating surfaces. Many of the firms ideas revolve around the idea of the pavilionan inviting outdoor meeting place for the community.BubbleStar Light Star Bright, for example, was installed earlier this year on Broadway in New York City, inspired by the cross-cultural tradition of wish trees, (inviting) visitors to tie ribbons representing their hopes and desires, Hou and de Sousa say in a statement. As ribbon-like wristbands were added, the pavilion evolved as it donned a fluffy, fluorescent winter coat, highlighting interconnectedness and the universality of hope.In the Flatiron District in Manhattan, Hou de Sousa also recently installed a piece called Tulips, which reimagine lamp posts as giant flowers blossoming toward the sky.If youre in the Sarasota, Florida, area this winter, keep an eye out for the studios next installation, an 8,000-pound steel sculpture titled Poly. Dive into more projects on the studios website and Instagram.Star Light Star BrightStar Light Star BrightTulipsTulipsDetail of BubbleDetail of BubbleNext article