Press kit no. 5595-05

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Press kit - Press release - Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga

Press Kit | no. 5595-05

Press release only in English

Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space

Chapel Hill, United States

The Urban Conga

pARC is a series of interconnected arches that form an open-ended programmable space that comes to life through the interactions of its users.

Brooklyn, United States, 2022-06-28 - 

pARC was designed by The Urban Conga to serve as an open-ended programmable space for the community of Chapel Hill and the Ackland Art Museum, located at the University of North Carolina. The Urban Conga studio designed the spatial intervention through a series of participatory design workshops with community stakeholders and museum representatives. Feedback and input from the community and museum representatives led to the final design of the space, as well as input on future public programming. The Ackland Art Museum is a free museum in Chapel Hill that hosts a surplus of diverse programming within its doors, but it seemed many community members were unaware of the museum and what it had to offer. pARC was designed to sit on the open terrace of the museum, serving as a bridge to connect it to the street as a programmable extension of the conversations, events, teachings, and other programming that currently exists within the doors of the Ackland. The design shows how play can be utilized as a tool in the democratization of art institutions, effectively removing art from the pedestal to allow people to take ownership of the work and the space. It invites people from the street into the museum, attracting people who may have previously been uncomfortable entering the space. The installation becomes a transformative communal platform, allowing all users to engage with the museum, university, and each other in new ways.


The design of pARC both mimics and contrasts the Georgian-style architecture of the museum. The design takes the symmetrical colonial composition and breaks it into a series of interconnected arcs. These series of arcs appear to grow up from the ground to frame the various social spaces that allow users to put their own identity onto the work, the museum, and the surrounding space. pARC becomes a flexible communal space evoking endless ways to play, gather, perform, teach, converse, or even take a nap. The spatial gesture takes on its users' identities and utilizes its playable design to break down social barriers and spark communal connection within the space. The color of the work was designed in coordination with the rebranding of the Ackland, helping to draw people into the museum and serving as a connector to their new brand and mission. The work utilizes universal design standards to make it an inclusive space that anyone can use. Underneath the grass sits a sustainable mesh system that allows for wheelchair accessibility within the space, while still allowing the grass to grow up through it.


Each archway serves as a framed or reflective view of the surrounding context, allowing the user to view the area through a different lens. As one passes the work, they begin to realize that their movement changes the colors of the panels, sparking different filtered views of the context around them. The installation not only responds to the user, but also to the environment by reflecting and refracting the surrounding context through its dichroic lenses, while also casting shadows onto the ground and the panels themselves. The work utilizes light, both during the day and at night, as a tool to evoke play and wonder within the space. During the day, the user can interact with the sun to cast shadows onto the panels, or to shift the colors reflected within the space. This interaction sparks a connection between the person and the sun, and reveals how their actions begin to create a reaction within the space. At night, this same effect is created through the use of red, green, and blue lights that allow the user to color mix with their shadows on the panels. The shadow play on the work becomes another way that the user can begin to play with the work, space, and others.


pARC becomes a transformative landmark for all types of play, from physical to fantasy, highlighting how play can be utilized as a critical tool in evoking more inclusive and equitable communal spaces.

Technical sheet

Client: Ackland Art Museum & University of North Carolina

Year: 2022

Location: Chapel Hill, NC – USA

Project Size: 864 sq ft

Designers: The Urban Conga 

About The Urban Conga

The Urban Conga is an international award-winning multidisciplinary design studio based in Brooklyn, NY, comprising a diverse group of creatives focused on sparking social activity and community interaction through open-ended play. They achieve this by working with communities to create inclusive, engaging, and site-specific opportunities that spark creativity, exploration, and free-choice learning for all demographics within the built environment. Their work explores the idea of a “Playable City” as an ecosystem of multi-scale playable opportunities intertwined within the existing urban infrastructure, without disrupting daily life, but rather adding to it. Their work extends to collaborations with communities, organizations, businesses, municipalities, and institutions worldwide, delivering permanent spatial interventions, public art installations, temporary activations, workshops, development plans, and public policy recommendations.

- 30 -

For more information

  1. www.theurbanconga.com/
  2. www.instagram.com/theurbanconga
  3. ackland.org/exhibition/parc-by-the-ur...

Media contact

Attachments

pARC -Elevation 01
pARC - Elevation 02
pARC - Elevation 03
pARC - Plan View
Low-resolution images ~ 7.09 MB
High-resolution tif images ~ 1.04 GB
High-resolution jpg images ~ 151 MB

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For immediate release

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Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - A series of archways appear to grow up from the ground transforming the Ackland Art Museum terrace into a communal space for social interaction.  - Photo credit: Anna Routh Barzin
A series of archways appear to grow up from the ground transforming the Ackland Art Museum terrace into a communal space for social interaction.
Photo credit: Anna Routh Barzin
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Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.33 @ 300dpi ~ 8.3 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Under the grass sits a sustainable mat for wheelchair accessibility while still allowing for the grass to grow up through it.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Under the grass sits a sustainable mat for wheelchair accessibility while still allowing for the grass to grow up through it.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 13 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The work utilizes the sun to manipulate the reflection and refraction of colors within the space as well as the shadow play components.   - Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
The work utilizes the sun to manipulate the reflection and refraction of colors within the space as well as the shadow play components.
Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
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Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 15.0 @ 300dpi ~ 14 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The Ackland Art Museum hosts a series of book readings out in the space as one component of initial programming within the space.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
The Ackland Art Museum hosts a series of book readings out in the space as one component of initial programming within the space.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
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Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 11 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Two museum-goers play with their shadows while dancing on the platforms.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Two museum-goers play with their shadows while dancing on the platforms.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 14 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - A spontaneous shadow performance takes place on the terrace by members of the Jane Austen conference.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
A spontaneous shadow performance takes place on the terrace by members of the Jane Austen conference.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
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Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 20 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - pARC utilizes light during both the day and at night as a way to spark various playful interactions.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
pARC utilizes light during both the day and at night as a way to spark various playful interactions.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 20 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - A group can be seen striking a series of poses within the panels filling the archways.    - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
A group can be seen striking a series of poses within the panels filling the archways.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 20 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Performers take over the space engaging with spectators through shadow play. - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Performers take over the space engaging with spectators through shadow play.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 9.2 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - A performer creates a series of shadow poses while acting out a scene.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
A performer creates a series of shadow poses while acting out a scene.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 14 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - A group of University of North Carolina students posing for the perfect selfie in the reflective panels.   - Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
A group of University of North Carolina students posing for the perfect selfie in the reflective panels.
Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 15.0 @ 300dpi ~ 11 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Museum visitors play with their reflections and shadows in the work.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Museum visitors play with their reflections and shadows in the work.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 9 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - A group of students uses the space as a place to hang out and have lunch.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
A group of students uses the space as a place to hang out and have lunch.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
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Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 13 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - A museum-goer takes time to play with their shadows and reflections on the work.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
A museum-goer takes time to play with their shadows and reflections on the work.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 11 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Play is our natural driver as humans to discover, explore, and empathize with others.   - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Play is our natural driver as humans to discover, explore, and empathize with others.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 20 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - pARC was designed to serve as an engaging landmark to the Ackland Art museum.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
pARC was designed to serve as an engaging landmark to the Ackland Art museum.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 7.5 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The three panels for shadow play allow users to host spontaneous shadow play performances.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
The three panels for shadow play allow users to host spontaneous shadow play performances.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 12 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The use of red, yellow, green, and blue lighting creates a unique color tracing effect onto the work at night.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
The use of red, yellow, green, and blue lighting creates a unique color tracing effect onto the work at night.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 18 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The magenta color acts like a piece of ribbon growing up from the ground and guiding people into the terrace and the museum.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
The magenta color acts like a piece of ribbon growing up from the ground and guiding people into the terrace and the museum.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 15 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - <p class="">The platforms become an opportunity to dance, perform, relax, gather, and more. </p> - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg

The platforms become an opportunity to dance, perform, relax, gather, and more.

Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
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Very High-resolution image : 18.2 x 16.77 @ 300dpi ~ 9.3 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The panels within the work created a filtered reflection and refraction of the surrounding environment.  - Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
The panels within the work created a filtered reflection and refraction of the surrounding environment.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 16 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The work becomes a platform for the user to interact with the sun through various shadow and light play interactions.     - Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
The work becomes a platform for the user to interact with the sun through various shadow and light play interactions.
Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 26.67 @ 300dpi ~ 14 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The colors of the work change based on the angle in which you view the piece both during the day and at night.  - Photo credit:  Tom Waldenberg
The colors of the work change based on the angle in which you view the piece both during the day and at night.
Photo credit: Tom Waldenberg
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.31 @ 300dpi ~ 14 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Anna Routh Barzin
Photo credit: Anna Routh Barzin
Download

Very High-resolution image : 20.0 x 13.33 @ 300dpi ~ 7.5 MB

Press kit | 5595-05 - Press release | Art Museum Terrace Transformed into a Programmable Community Space - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture -  The large archway was designed to frame the different archways of the Ackland Art Museum from various angles.   - Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
The large archway was designed to frame the different archways of the Ackland Art Museum from various angles.
Photo credit: Ryan Swanson
Download

Medium-resolution image : 6.83 x 5.12 @ 300dpi ~ 2.7 MB

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