The architects at Weisz + Yoes didn't set out to reinvent the merry-go-round. But when the firm was asked to transform Manhattan's Battery Park into a tourist magnet, that's exactly what it ended up doing.
The original goal was for something that would light up the park at night. Then somebody suggested a carousel, and the wheels started turning. Soon they'd enlisted the help of media design firm Local Projects and were hard at work on SeaGlass, a high tech ride with an aquatic theme — a nod to the waterfront setting.
Instead of garishly painted horses, the seats will be translucent fiberglass molded into dolphins, turtles, clownfish, and other marine life. And unlike a traditional carousel, which spreads out from a center column like an umbrella, these creatures will be supported from below on a turntable, allowing unobstructed 360-degree views. All this will be housed in a nautilus-shaped structure featuring 93 SmartGlass windows that darken during the three-minute ride to simulate the experience of diving to the ocean floor. The final touch: Multiple projectors will fill the interior with images of marine life that slowly change to match what you'd actually see during a descent. Construction is set to start this year, with completion by summer 2008. No doubt it will make a big splash.
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