SomePeople, New York-based art and design studio, created a vibrant-pink urban sculpture in an abandoned alley in Downtown Frederick, Maryland. Happy Stripe is one of three projects selected in the 2019 competition for spatial installations in specific alleys with the aim to enhance the urban fabric.

The work invites people to visit the street, emphasising its depth with a specific tilt and arousing curiosity with a smooth geometry. The structure is made of bent steel and hanging nylon ropes. It runs through the space recalling the alley’s architectural elements: the arches on the windows are expressed through the curved line of the installation, while the red brick colour is reflected in the pink hue.

Happy Stripe is completed by augmented reality technology to generate social interaction. The digital scenario, which can be explored through an app, allows users to throw coloured balls into the sculpture, letting them play while keeping social distancing. The installation can be visited until November 2021.