Designers hope that an eco-friendly pavilion supporting a canopy of moss will be installed in New York’s Times Square in May.
The project, entitled Mossgrove, aims to be erected for the annual NYCxDESIGN festival, this year taking place from May 12 to May 20.
The project is being funded through Kickstarter, and if funding proves successful will provide an environmentally friendly installation in the city.
Sam Biroscak, designer of Mossgrove, said: “Moss requires no fertiliser to grow, and only takes three to six months to fully establish itself.
“Once established, moss requires very little to no water and thrives in shady areas (like in dense urban areas) where other types of ‘green’ roofs might not.
“Until recently, moss has been thought of as a visual nuisance or a weed. By elevating moss to eye level and expanding the definition of what moss can look and feel like, we hope visitors will walk away wondering about the design potential of all commonplace materials and how they can incorporate sustainable design into their own lives.”
Help make 'Mossgrove' come to life in #TimesSquare! 'Mossgrove' is a design pavilion made of moss that aims to be built in time for @NYCxDESIGN from May 12 – 20, 2018. Check out the project's #Kickstarter campaign at https://t.co/3RmKLHI1fE to learn more. pic.twitter.com/LQlwXjDAQu
— Times Square (@TimesSquareNYC) April 3, 2018
The project also plans to use standard scaffolding to support the moss canopy, claiming that in 2017 there was around 280 miles of scaffolding in New York City. Biroscak said he would like to use the opportunity to “expand the public’s perception of common urban materials.”
He said: “Imagine if we saw scaffolding and moss not as nuisances but as a sustainable infrastructure for new kinds of performances and activities in the city. What if we saw all ordinary materials, natural or man-made, as in possession of an extraordinary potential?”
Mossgrove has now raised $11,000 USD (around £7,800) of its $70,000 (around £50,000) goal.
