Press kit no. 5595-07

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Press kit - Press release - A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga

Press Kit | no. 5595-07

Press release only in English

A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection

Pittsburgh, United States

The Urban Conga

Together is a community table designed by The Urban Conga studio to serve as a place for people to listen, learn, and connect around the past, present, and future of Highland Park.

Brooklyn, United States, 2023-03-20 - 

Together was created by The Urban Conga to serve as a community table, a place for people to listen, learn, and connect with one another around the past, present, and future of Highland Park in Pittsburgh, PA. The project was created as part of a Pittsburgh Art in the Parks initiative that begins to activate Pittsburgh’s public parks in new ways. The design was developed through a series of participatory design workshops with the Highland Park community and surrounding areas, utilizing play methodologies such as gamification and imaginative play to collect communal stories, values, and feedback. This communal dialog was used to develop every component within the design of the work.


Together’s location - adjacent to the Highland Park pool and Lake Carnegie - was highlighted by the community as a key area in the park that is often used by different demographics participating in a variety of activities that do not necessarily engage with one another. This area of the park has a long history of social connection and division, being one of the first integrated pools in Pittsburgh in one of the most diversely used parks in the city. The playscape is designed to serve as a connector, not only between the physical spaces, but among the people utilizing these spaces. It is designed as a multifunctional landmark that utilizes its open-ended play design to break down social barriers and begin to connect people with each other and the park itself. It becomes not just a visual destination, but also a functional additive component for the park, which becomes a communal hub for social activity.


Together’s design contains a series of stepped surfaces that wrap and frame two existing old ash trees that sit within the site. The two trees anchor the work to the natural landscape, while also serving as natural shade for the space during the summer. The installation’s flowing form begins to carve out three communal gathering spaces within the landscape that encourage group interaction; the undulating surfaces serve as a table, a bench, a stage, and more for the community to make their own. Even though the installation is fixed, it becomes transformative to its user, creating an ever-changing experience that keeps people coming back to use the space in new ways. The design of the pattern cut into the surfaces of the platform was generated from images of water ripples to create a feeling of movement within the work and space. As sunlight passes through the work throughout the day, a cascade of light ripples and moves along the ground. The installation’s transparency allows it to blend with the natural environment, while providing a visual landmark within the landscape. The golden-yellow color was selected through community feedback, due not only its relationship to Pittsburgh, but also for its ability to evoke emotions of hope, happiness, and comfort within the space. The surrounding spaces were being used for vendors, barbecues, parties, and more in isolated situations, so the work is designed to become an additive component to help interconnect these activities and bring people closer together. The hope is that the installation serves as a bridge for social connection and continues to further unify the community of Pittsburgh.  


The Urban Conga also worked with local Pittsburgh community storyteller Alyssa Velazquez, who created a zine that is being utilized as a post-evaluation tool of the work. The zine walks one through the process of the work being implemented in Highland Park and the park’s history, while also leaving a space for the community to reflect on their thoughts.

Technical sheet

Client: City of Pittsburgh  

Year: 2023

Location: Highland Park - 151 Lake Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Project Size: 30’L x 19’W x 6’H

Designer / Fabricator: The Urban Conga 

Photographer: Sean Carroll

About The Urban Conga

The Urban Conga is an award-winning, Brooklyn, NY-based multidisciplinary design studio comprised of a diverse group of creatives focused on sparking community interaction and social activity through open-ended play. Their work explores the idea of creating more playable cities as an ecosystem of inclusive, multi-scale playable opportunities intertwined within our existing urban fabric. The studio investigates new ways to transform once overlooked or underutilized situations into stimulating, creative outlets that bridge divides and break down inequities by bringing people together through moments of play. Through this work, they have had opportunities to collaborate with communities, NGO’s, businesses, municipal agencies, and institutions worldwide, delivering multi-scaled urban interventions, playable products, workshops, lectures, development plans, and public policy recommendations.

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High-resolution tif images ~ 813 MB
High-resolution jpg images ~ 126 MB

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Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Together is a community table serving as a place for people to listen, learn, and connect around the past, present, and future of Highland Park.   - Photo credit:  Sean Carroll
Together is a community table serving as a place for people to listen, learn, and connect around the past, present, and future of Highland Park.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
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Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 16 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture -   A Highland Park resident takes a moment to read under the tree.   - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
A Highland Park resident takes a moment to read under the tree.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
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Very High-resolution image : 17.72 x 11.81 @ 300dpi ~ 8.9 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Together utilizes its playable design to spark multigenerational conversation.  - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Together utilizes its playable design to spark multigenerational conversation.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
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Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 9.4 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 15 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture -  The stepped surfaces allow for a variety of social interactions to exist.   - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
The stepped surfaces allow for a variety of social interactions to exist.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
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Very High-resolution image : 18.17 x 12.12 @ 300dpi ~ 14 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture -  Play is our natural driver to discover, explore, and empathize with others.  - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Play is our natural driver to discover, explore, and empathize with others.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 12.16 x 18.24 @ 300dpi ~ 10 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The perforated pattern was generated from images of water rippling to create movement to the work.  - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
The perforated pattern was generated from images of water rippling to create movement to the work.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 13 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Every component of the work, including the location, came from the community through a series of participatory design workshops throughout the process.  - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Every component of the work, including the location, came from the community through a series of participatory design workshops throughout the process.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 18 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

High-resolution image : 11.3 x 16.94 @ 300dpi ~ 5.4 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The playscape becomes a visual landmark within the park that encourages people to stop their cars and explore.  - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
The playscape becomes a visual landmark within the park that encourages people to stop their cars and explore.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 12 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - The two existing ash trees in the space serve as visual anchors to the work.  - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
The two existing ash trees in the space serve as visual anchors to the work.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 16 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Together Plan View - Photo credit: The Urban Conga
Together Plan View
Photo credit: The Urban Conga
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High-resolution image : 11.0 x 8.5 @ 300dpi ~ 1.7 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Together- West Elevation - Photo credit: The Urban Conga
Together- West Elevation
Photo credit: The Urban Conga
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High-resolution image : 11.0 x 8.5 @ 300dpi ~ 1.9 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Together - North Elevation - Photo credit: <p>The Urban Conga</p>
Together - North Elevation
Photo credit:

The Urban Conga

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High-resolution image : 11.0 x 8.5 @ 300dpi ~ 1.4 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 12.16 x 18.24 @ 300dpi ~ 10 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 12.16 x 18.24 @ 300dpi ~ 12 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 17.95 x 11.97 @ 300dpi ~ 18 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 17.27 x 11.51 @ 300dpi ~ 6.6 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 17.34 x 11.56 @ 300dpi ~ 7.6 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture -  The playscape was designed to serve as a platform for people to simply come together.   - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
The playscape was designed to serve as a platform for people to simply come together.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 12 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 15 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 15 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 12.16 x 18.24 @ 300dpi ~ 9.1 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 12.16 x 18.24 @ 300dpi ~ 9.7 MB

Press kit | 5595-07 - Press release | A New Playscape in Pittsburgh focuses on Sparking Communal Connection - The Urban Conga - Landscape Architecture - Together's open-ended design breaks the space into a variety of different social opportunities.  - Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Together's open-ended design breaks the space into a variety of different social opportunities.
Photo credit: Sean Carroll
Download

Very High-resolution image : 18.24 x 12.16 @ 300dpi ~ 17 MB

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