Lincoln Center, which is holding a series of outdoor performances while its theaters will remain closed due to the pandemic, announced Tuesday that it would transform the space around its fountain into a park-like setting by covering it with artificial turf.
Since the center was using its outdoor areas as stages this spring and summer, it turned to a set designer, Mimi Lien, to redesign its campus. She had a plan to transform the space into what she calls “The GREEN” – adding a pop of color to a palette dominated by white travertine and turning the space into the grassy oasis she hopes that she invites New Yorkers for performances and relaxation.
“I wanted to create a place where you could lie on a grassy slope all afternoon reading a book,” Lien, a MacArthur Genius Fellow, said in a statement. “Get a coffee and sit in the sun. Bring your babies and frolic in the grass. Have a picnic with colleagues. “
“Like an urban green,” she added, “a place to collect.”
The installation, which will open on May 10 and remain operational through September, will be the physical centerpiece of Restart Stages, an initiative Lincoln Center announced in February to use its outdoor areas for live performances. The initiative began last week with a New York Philharmonic performance for healthcare workers and has since continued with a blood donation and other pop-up arts programs.
The artificial turf will be green in another sense: officials said it would be made from “high soy-content, recycled, sourced entirely from US farmers”. There will also be a small snack bar and books will be available to borrow. Events that will be held in the room will be announced in the coming weeks, officials said.
The room is open from 9 a.m. to midnight. Face covering, social distancing, and other health and safety protocols are required. The place is cleaned regularly, officials said.
