Metronome, Installation artwork on Union Square South, Manhattan, United States
The Metronome stretches across the facade of One Union Square South building with an array of digital numerals, a circular steam vent, and gold-leafed surfaces spanning the entire width. The installation combines numeric displays with mechanical elements along several floors of the tower.
Related Companies commissioned Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel to design this work in the late 1990s, completing it in October 1999 after eight months of construction. Restoration work in 2020 brought new functions and fresh 23.75-carat gold leaf to the outer sections.
The fifteen LEDs switch between standard time of day and the remaining seconds until midnight, reflecting urban relationships with fleeting time. The circular center releases steam while the gold-leafed surface throws back sunlight and street lighting.
The installation is visible from street level without entering the building, with the best view from the southern end of Union Square. Visitors can stop by during daytime and night hours, as the digital elements become especially clear after dark.
In September 2020, the numerals were reprogrammed to show the years remaining before crossing critical climate thresholds, based on current carbon budgets. This conversion turned a conventional time measurement into a continuous reminder of ecological urgency.
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