River Glow
David Benjamin and Soo-in Yang
The Living
Brooklyn, New York
The Big Idea
Dispersed in the rivers surrounding Manhattan, a network of floating pods equipped with accurate sensors glows red or green to signal water quality.
The project will offer the only real-time, in-situ public interface to water quality in New York City. It will be easily installable (with no wiring required), modular and expandable, and non-mechanical. The distributed system will ensure functionality even if one element fails. It will also engage the water as a potential public space. Imagine walking along Hudson River Park in the evening and seeing a green ambient cloud floating just above the water’s surface that tells you the water is safe for swimming or fishing. Imagine driving down the F.D.R. and seeing the red cloud that signals a decline in the quality of the East River. This display will generate an increased awareness of the issues of water quality, and in turn help foster sustainable development of the city’s rivers.