Prospect Park's verdant Rose Garden is transformed by 7,000 paper pinwheels

Originally published 5/24/17

Update 7/10/17: The Suchi Reddy-designed pinwheel installation at Prospect Park is up, and we now have photos of the massive art piece. Comprised of 7,000 pinwheels, many of which feature artwork created by emerging artists and local residents, the installation will live at the park’s Rose Garden. Scroll down to checkout all the photos.

Nearly two years after it was first announced, the Prospect Park Alliance is moving forward with its plan to renovate some of the neglected portions of Prospect Park including the Rose Garden and the Vale of Cashmere.

To mark this progress, and to celebrate the Park’s ongoing 150th anniversary celebrations, the Alliance commissioned architect Suchi Reddy and her firm, Reddymade Architecture + Design, and marketing firm Area4 to create an installation for the Rose Garden.

The Connective Project, as this piece is known will be a massive installation comprised of 7,000 pinwheels made with weather-resistent, biodegradable paper made from stone dust. This wave-like pinwheel installation will stretch 2.5-acres and go on display starting July 7. And until then, the public will also have a chance to have their work showcased as part of this installation.

On June 1, the Alliance will ask people to submit artwork, prose or photos expressing their love of Prospect Park. While all of this work will live in an online gallery, some of the works will be selected to be included among one of the 7,000 pinwheels.

“We wanted to create something that would engage the public in a dialogue which we feel is so important right now, but also something that generates wonder and play,” Suchi Reddy, said in a statement.

As for the Rose Garden itself, the Alliance is working with the Hester Street Collaborative to host a community design workshop and future participatory events to allow people to share their input on designing the renovated space. First created as a children’s playground, the garden featured parallel bars, swings and seesaws, a croquet lawn, a maze, and a horse-powered carousel. At the turn of the century, McKim, Mead and White transformed the space into the Rose Garden with three lily ponds.

Over the years the garden deteriorated, and it hasn’t featured roses for many years now. The Alliance continues to oversee the landscape here, but the Rose Garden has been in need of a renovation for a while now, and efforts will get underway in earnest next month.

This will be just one of several renovation projects taking place at the Park. Other improvements include restoring woodlands in the Vale of Cashmere, and creating broadened sidewalks, new trees, and street furniture on the Flatbush Avenue perimeter of the Park (from Grand Army Plaza to Ocean Avenue).

• Prospect Park's Most Overlooked Sections Will Be Restored [Curbed]
• Prospect Park, Flushing Meadows Among 8 City Parks Due For $40M Revamp [Curbed]
• Prospect Park’s 150th anniversary celebration kicks off this weekend [Curbed]