The swimming pool at High Note / Otazu Garcia

The entire project is painted in blue, creating the perception of living in a limited space without having to leave Manhattan. Corrugated polycarbonate panels are used in the partition walls and pergola cover, allowing natural light to filter in during the day without losing privacy with adjacent lots. At night, the corrugated polycarbonate distorts artificial light in the environment, distributing it and intensifying the effect throughout the installation. The walls end in a triangular shape that is in turn aligned with the roof of the existing pergola, which has been reinforced to allow it to continue to be used. The resulting effect is a bookish effect that increases during the spring and summer when the plants appear behind the transparent walls. Those who visit can enjoy a naturally lit space while protected by a pergola.

The pool is designed as a space to see and be seen. The setting fosters new connections within the East Village community and Alphabet City, with a history in which these connections have always emerged. The project also invites bar owners and customers visiting the establishment to build their own spatial configurations, animating the follies within the courtyard. This choreography allows new connections to be created in the community through the recreational environment, as has historically occurred on neighborhood steps or ramps.