Aero-Luminary Path

The Aero-Luminary Path is an addition to the New York City Highline located in West Manhattan. The site sits on the Hudson River and acts as a pathway leading to the water. The site is organized into three above-ground nodes and one underground tunnel that runs under the Hudson River. 

The concept of light as a tool for depicting air quality to the public is one of the ideas that influenced this project. As an addition to the Highline, the project's location lends itself to being viewed by many people and allows it to act as a beacon, drawing attention from the Highline to the project's canopy where the panels depict air quality measurement. 

This project engages the community through its two community concert venues and pre-programmed light shows, such as the "Sunset Borealis" that occurs at the "Highline Node" over the heads of the performers as the sun sets. This "Sunset Borealis" depicts fire, through the use of hologram projections, over the heads of the audience and performers, highlighting a central gathering space and acting as a community event that encourages people to live in the moment and engage with the community. Another moment that occurs on the site is the "Moon Pier", a moment of the site that occurs over the water. At this node, the visitors get the opportunity to have a moment of introspection under the glowing canopy that frames the moon and allows for a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty in the distance. 

The project's sensibility takes inspiration from the sinuous curves of plant life, working with the Highline's concept as an elevated garden in a district that was once known as an industrial zone. During the day, the Aero-Luminary Path's stained glass canopy projects beautiful red, orange, and yellow colors down onto the reflective floor, creating an atmospheric light experience as the visitor walks through. At night, the visitor has an altogether different viewing experience. The latticework that holds the panels glows a faint orange, illuminating the panel's different colors depending on the air quality. The slight opacity of the panels allows for a layering effect of the light and color. 

The site brings the water of the Hudson into the site as a symbol of New York's rich history of immigration and of people making a home in a new place. This acceptance of the river symbolizes the acceptance of people into New York as a new home, with the river symbolically representing the movement of water into the land and the land accepting the water into the site. This reference was inspired by the poem " New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus: " “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore." In this way, the light of our site takes on new meaning as a beacon of hope, welcoming people to New York.  

The first node the visitor encounters on the Highline is the "Highline Node." This node is organized to allow for different methods of circulation depending on whether you are going to go around the node to the next section of the Highline, to view a performance, or traverse to the next section of the Aero-Luminary Path. This node is a hub for community gathering through its pre-programmed evening performances and sunset light show. 

The next node in the site progression is the transitional node that leads to the underground. This section of the path sets a precedent for the sensibility of the upcoming experiences. This smaller portion of the path that leads into the underground has a portion of latticework that opens to the visitors, inviting them down into the underground tunnel. This node sits on the edge of the Hudson River, and the tunnel feeding from this node to the underground creates an illusionary device that the water is being parted for the visitor. 

The underground portion of the path is made of glass and allows the visitor to see under the water of the Hudson. The glass tunnel allows the visitors to see the light coming through the water, rippling onto the floor, and allows the visitor to experience the glowing lights of the panels and latticework outside the tunnel. The underground tunnel has a small stage allowing a band to play as the visitor strolls through the water light exhibit.  

The final node is the "Moon Pier". This final portion of the path leads the visitor over the water. The illuminated latticework frames the water and the horizon, creating three framed vignettes: one of the Statue of Liberty, one of the Hudson Coast, and one framing the sky. 

The Aero-Luminary Path is an offshoot of the Highline that is centered around ideas of community gathering through creating introspective zones as well as lively gathering zones. In this project, light acts as a metaphor for hope as well as a community engagement tactic, engaging the community through bringing awareness of the air quality of the city, making air quality a tangible experience that people can see and interact with.