The summer is here, and that can only mean one thing: icebergs. Thanks to the National Building Museum, the nation’s capital is cool and refreshing with the latest summer installation, designed by New York-based James Corner Field Operations, the same designers behind the High Line.
Running from July 2 through September 5, this installation, simply titled "ICEBERGS," will allow guests to wander through these tetrahedron-like objects and be able to climb on top of them. There are iceberg chairs, slides, and a balcony that allows one to see above the structures and the people on the ground below.
Surrounding the installation is a blue mesh that James Corner, founder and director of James Corner Field Operations, said is meant to create an otherworldly environment. The elevated "ceiling" of the mesh is meant to simulate sea level, while the peaks of the icebergs poking out of the mesh is meant to represent how the majority of an iceberg’s structure is submerged underwater.
Corner said that at first he felt intimidated with the task to fill the National Building Museum’s great hall. One of the earliest ideas was a topographic meadow that folded in on itself. What inspired the idea to create icebergs was an interest in climate change.
"We thought it would be instructive to have an installation that spoke to issues of global warming, to ice melt ... and to create a narrative of that," said Corner.
Along with the installation, shaved-ice snacks are also provided by Daikaya with additions like mochi, condensed milk, and strawberries.
Previous summer installations at the National Building Museum have included a maze, mini golf, and a beach. At a sneak peek of ICEBERGS, National Building Museum Executive Director Chase Rynd said that the purpose of massive installations like these are meant to achieve goals like highlighting construction, engineering, and design as well as inspiring visitors to understand the many ways a space can be manipulated.
To see the installation, the cost of admission is $16 for adults and $13 for youth between the ages of three and 17, students with ID, and seniors over the age of 60. Tickets are first come, first served with no timed entry. Ticket sales end at 4 p.m. daily.
• National Building Museum to Host 56-Foot-Tall Icebergs This Summer [Curbed DC]