PIXEL PARK - BILBAO JARDIN (competition entry) 2009

The idea comes from the overwhelming presence of the information and communication technologies, which has fundamentally changed the way people live. Perceptions of the world around us are changing under the influence of sensations and images we consciously and subconsciously absorb everyday. The oceans, rivers, mountains and cities have been digitalized and pixelized to be viewed and “visited” by anyone with internet access and proper applications and programs.

What would happen if we took the pixels presenting the river Nervión and the city of Bilbao and turn them into physical matter, reversing the process? The play of shapes and colors resulted in the design of “pixel park” a rasterized, low resolution zoomed in image of the river. The pixels are represented by 50x50x30cm wooden planting boxes and 50x50x40cm wooden seating elements. A walking path goes through the middle, making it essentially a “transit” green area with only a small seating area in the middle portion of the park.