Cool Water, Hot Island

Some of you may or may not know Times Square is now officially a pedestrian-only zone. Due for a massive face lift by the NYC Department of Transportation in 2012, the city wanted to install a temporary nip/tuck solution to this famous facade.

Molly Dilworth won first prize for her "Cool Water, Hot Island" proposal. This serene river of blue hues is actually a graphical representation of NASA's infrared satellite data of Manhattan. This was used to show the city's urban heat-island effect.

A little tip for the day, "heat-island effect" is a term used to describe higher temperatures in urban areas as opposed lower temperatures in rural areas. This occurs because urban areas have fewer trees and the solar energy is absorbed into man-made structures that retain the heat.

With Molly's design she wanted to convey awareness to the issue of heat-island effect and also hoped to do her part in dulling the effect. For this reason she chose a serene blue color palette which reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat.

Keep your eyes peeled come mid-July when "Cool Water, Hot Island" is due to be installed! But as major renovations are due to begin in 2012 this installation is only temporary.

Check out some other inspiring works by Molly Dilworth, who is also known for her engaging rooftop paintings.

Images via Inhabitat