This is knot your average street furniture! Wrapping around existing sidewalk elements Knotty Sidewalk really ties Market Street together!

Celebrate the sidewalk! Weave a fabric of delight and exploration!! Unleash the potential of Market Street with KNOTTY SIDEWALK!

KNOTTY SIDEWALK! is a kit of parts that can be easily deployed to create a soft, durable, integrated web. It connects to existing fixed in-place elements, eliminating the need for additional construction and it is simple to install. By using colorful rope, craft based knotting techniques and low tech prefabricated joints, KNOTTY SIDEWALK! will tie Market Street together. By attaching to the existing sidewalk elements, the hard fixed streetscape will gain a flexible and soft overlay, a place for swinging, climbing, lounging and laughing.

Market Street is peppered with nondescript bulky elements such as parking meters, street trees, storm drains and empty newspaper stands. KNOTTY SIDEWALK! honors these elements of daily life by wrapping around them and weaving an energized, playful space between them, creating a new urban fabric. It will hold hammocks, seating, vantage nets and swings and create a transformative play of light, shadow, texture and color.

KNOTTY SIDEWALK! is adaptable, can be changed over time and can be easily deployed at multiple scales for varied uses. Large events like the Pride Parade or Chinese New Year can harness the system to provide seating, viewing, and places of respite. Small gatherings and pop-up events can create places for people to mingle, lounge and relax.

Every street in every city has its own set of unique site elements and KNOTTY SIDEWALK! is a prototype for use in all cities. By using simple materials, simple installation techniques and a clear kit of parts, the system can be modified to fit specific needs. KNOTTY SIDEWALK! will be a dynamic and unique configuration since it is based on local elements, allowing for adaptable growth over time.

KNOTTY SIDEWALK! sees the potential of the streets, and envisions soft durable webs of delight!

For the Market Street Prototyping Festival, the sidewalk will become a place to play, rest, and linger; a place to connect with the street and the community. We are excited to celebrate with you!

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