Sit Anywhere: Borinquen Plaza
2014-2016
MDO plywood, steel, enamel paint, exterior latex paint
175.5” x 21” x 27.5”
Brooklyn, NY
Sit Anywhere: Borinquen Plaza is a series of foldable street furniture installed on a fence surrounding the Borinquen Plaza Housing Development. Inspired by the residents who bring down their own chairs to sit on the sidewalk outside their building, this project responds to the everyday needs of these residents (many of them seniors) by offering built-in seats and tables where they already gather. The project reinforces the idea that the best public spaces aren’t necessarily the planned ones and that sitting space is a crucial element in creating an open environment.
In order to engage the local residents, there were four workshops with members of the Borinquen Plaza Senior Center. The workshops consisted of residents envisioning their ideal seats through storytelling, drawing, and mapping exercises. During the installation process, I also interacted with residents who frequent the site. These residents eventually became the stewards of the project as they use the seats practically every day. By installing the piece on a fence, the project transforms what was previously a barrier into something positive that brings people together. It offers the vision of a more open city and enhances the experience of our public spaces –sidewalks being one of the vastest yet most ignored of those spaces.
In 2016, I revisited the project and held a series of new workshops Borinquen Plaza Senior Center to fix up the existing seats and give them a new look. I also added two more seats for people to enjoy.
Community Collaborator:
Borinquen Plaza Senior Center
Workshop Participants:
Candido Acevedo, Marva Baker, Charles Brown, Australia Correa, Lorraine Cox, Santa Figueroa, Debbie Garcia, Aida Griselt Vélez Alemán, Merlene Humphery, Tony Lopez, Victor Maldonado, Miguel Malave, Rosa Milian, Miguelina Muñoz, Adalberto Nieves, Adolfo Rivera, Ana Rivera, Angie Rodriguez, Carmen Sanchez
Metal Fabricator:
Milgo/Bufkin
Special Thanks to:
Esther Blanco, Sonali Delattibodier, Krizia M. Diaz, Ferdinand Rios
This project is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).
