5 in 1, Steel sculpture at 1 Police Plaza, Manhattan, United States.
5 in 1 is a weathering steel sculpture located at Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan, made of five large interlocking discs. The work stands about 35 feet (11 meters) tall, and its geometric form changes in appearance depending on where you stand when looking at it.
The sculpture was created by artist Bernard Rosenthal and installed in 1974, at a time when large public artworks in city plazas were still relatively uncommon. When it was unveiled, it was considered the largest metal public artwork in New York City.
The sculpture stands on a public plaza in front of the New York City Police Department headquarters and is open to anyone passing through. Its title refers to the five boroughs of New York City, and the five interlocking discs are meant to represent their connection to one another.
The sculpture is on a paved pedestrian plaza next to the police headquarters in Lower Manhattan, within walking distance of several subway stations. The area is busiest on weekdays during working hours, so visiting on a weekday morning or midday gives the best view without large crowds.
Weathering steel does not rust in the usual sense: it forms a stable outer layer that protects the metal underneath and slowly turns a warm reddish-brown color over the years. This means the sculpture looks noticeably different today than it did when it was first installed.
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