1157 island of care

This architecture defines a boundary; this boundary defines a territory shaped as a circle, and this territory is an island of care. The project takes on the meaning of love as care for humanity, transgressing societal tropes of love related only to the romantic relationship between two single humans. In a time when we experience housing scarcity, food disparity affecting underrepresented communities in our cities, and racial capitalism preventing the creation of a just society, this island represents a model. The circular shape, inspired by ancestral homes of different cultures and societies, built around a single room, offers a geometry that, by its nature, does not imply hierarchy but a unifying character. Everyone within the island’s perimeter is free and equal in the same measure, free to care for each other and our planet and express that sentiment that humans cherish so much.

There is one essential design element: a glowing ring made of translucent shrink-wrap membrane that, elevated through a wooden structure, glows at night and floats over Duffy Square and, by extension, over Times Square to signify the presence of this island as a safe place. The Island of Care strives to devise an architectural vision that revolves around sharing resources and spaces for the common good within the urban form of the public space in Times Square. This space provides resources beyond its physicality but becomes a place for care and a transcalar notion of love.