This new public art in Times Square changes based on perspective

Bloom is a new piece of public art by architecture and urban design practice Habitat Workshop that has just taken up residence in the middle of Times Square (in Duffy Square, to be precise) and will be on view through March 9. 

The convoluted structure is actually the winner of the 14th annual Times Square Love and Design Competition, presented with the Museum of Arts and Design. 

A circular roof that is supported by a number of red-and-white interlocked PVC pipes, Bloom looks striking both up close and from afar, but it's its ability to quasi morph into different shapes depending on where you are gazing at it from that makes the whole thing thoroughly unique.

"From above, it blooms from the center with an arrangement of pixelated hearts," reads an official press release. "And from below, it becomes a buoyant cloudscape where the pipes overhead, descending to different heights, become vaulted portals allowing light to peek through from all directions." 

The installation's purpose is to remind onlookers "of the fleeting moments of happiness and joy that persevere even in the shroud of darkness." In fact, those entering the structure will quite literally feel showered with rays of light that channel the brightness of Times Square. 

Speaking of light: given the way Bloom has been built, even the time of one's visit may affect the way they get to experience the installation. "At night, surrounding billboards, buildings and headlights cast a constantly changing spectrum of colors and light onto Bloom, creating a pattern that shifts direction, elongates and shortens throughout the day," explains the release.

In other exciting public art-related news, a giant heart paying tribute to healthcare workers is now on display in Queens right by the Long Island City waterfront. It's going to stay there through the end of February so make sure to check it out in the upcoming weeks.

Below, look through some behind-the-scenes shots depicting all the work that went into building Bloom.