IDEAS CITY

The second biannual IDEAS CITY takes place May 1-4 on and around the Bowery. What is IDEAS CITY? Here's the official description:

IDEAS CITY explores the future of cities around the globe with the belief that arts and culture are essential to the vitality of urban centers, making them better places to live, work, and play. Founded by the New Museum in 2011, IDEAS CITY is a major collaborative initiative between hundreds of arts, education, and civic organizations. This year’s theme is "Untapped Capital," with participants focused on resources that are under-recognized or underutilized in our cities.

IDEAS CITY is a four-day Festival of conferences, workshops, an innovative StreetFest around the Bowery, and more than one hundred independent projects and public events that are forums for exchanging ideas, proposing solutions, and accelerating creativity.

["MirrorMirror" by Davidson Rafailidis | Image courtesy Storefront for Art and Architecture]

The winner of the 2013 StreetFest Competition is "MirrorMirror" by Davidson Rafailidis. Their installation will be built and installed for the May 4 StreetFest. Here is some information on the winning design from the Storefront for Art and Architecture announcement:

“MirrorMirror” is a base unit covering twelve feet by sixteen feet. The design includes a simple forty-five-degree-angled gable roof made from miorroring panels. A single unit will house small programs. When combined, the units create a large barn-like structure that will can be host to larger gatherings. The design utilizes aluminum frames with Mylar mirror foil that are often used as glassless mirrors in dance studios.

["MirrorMirror" by Davidson Rafailidis | Image courtesy Storefront for Art and Architecture]

Visit the IDEAS CITY website to plan your visit, purchase a conference pass, and download a guide (PDF link) to the many events happening in downtown Manhattan over the course of four days next week.

My recommendations:

Wednesday, May 1:
Joi Ito
Keynote address at 7:30pm at The Cooper Union

Thursday, May 2:
Ad Hoc Strategies
Panel discussion at 9:15am at The Cooper Union

Play
Panel discussion at 2:30pm at The Cooper Union

A Road Not Taken
Film screening at 7pm at the Swiss Institute

Friday, May 3:
The Future of the City
Conversation at 5pm at Center for Architecture

Hack City
Workshop at 6pm at the Old School

Pitching the City: New Ideas for New York
Presentation at 7pm at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

Saturday, May 4:
StreetFest
Numerous booths, events, and projects from 11am to 6pm on and around the Bowery

Godfrey Reggio’s Naqoyqatsi
Film screening at 11am at NYPL Mulberry Branch

Delancey Plaza: An Afternoon Above the Lowline
Workshop from 11am to 6pm at Delancey Plaza

No Shame: Storefront For Sale
Exhibition performance from 11am to 6pm at the Storefront for Art and Architecture

Adhocracy
Exhibition from 11am to 6pm at the New Museum

Softwalks
Installations from 6pm to Midnight in various locations

Change of State
Installation from 8pm to Midnight on the facade of the New Museum

Snarkitecture
Installation from 8:30pm to Midnight at Mulberry and Prince Streets