New York has seen ten ambitious new buildings from a range of top architecture firms spring up at the same time – with the public given free reign to add to, amend or otherwise improve on them.

But there is a good reason for such apparent madness, as the buildings are made with Lego and are part of an art installation at the High Line in Manhattan, a public park built on an elevated section of disused railway.

Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson commissioned ten architects involved in current or ongoing projects in the surrounding neighbourhood to create a “visionary structure or construction” for the opening of The collectivity project, an installation of more than two tons (1,814kg) of white Lego bricks that features an imaginary cityscape conceived and designed by the public.

Involved in the project are: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG); David M. Schwarz Architects; Diller Scofidio + Renfro; James Corner Field Operations; OMA New York; Renzo Piano Building Workshop; Robert A.M. Stern Architects; Selldorf Architects; SHoP; and Steven Holl Architects.

Their initial structures will become part of the collective architecture that the public builds over the four months of the installation, which runs until 30 September.

A range of towers and skyscrapers were created by the likes of BIG, OMA and SHoP for the installation, while Renzo Piano constructed a pagoda-shaped building and James Corner Field Operations built a baobab tree.

The collectivity project has previously been installed in public squares in Albania, Norway, and Denmark, but this is the first time architectural firms have contributed the opening works.

Phase 3 of NYC High Line project sees innovative park opened to public

FEATURE: Features – The High Line