Central Park’s heart lies in The Ramble, a landscape designed to mimic primitive nature, offering a sense of adventure and mystery. By day, it invites visitors to explore its intricate paths and lush greenery, creating a serene escape. However, at night, The Ramble transforms into a place of fear and uncertainty, where the darkness amplifies the unknown, triggering anxiety.
Despite these fears, they are often irrational, driven more by imagination than reality. Night in nature is not as difficult as we might think. To address this discomfort, I propose a night ritual for every new moon in a pavilion called the Nocturnal Embrace. Located on an elevated Manhattan schist near The Ramble’s entrance, this pavilion is accessible via a path marked by five stone markers, symbolizing the phases of sunrise to sunset. The pavilion’s design encourages a gradual transition from light to darkness, guiding visitors to embrace the night as a space for contemplation and reflection. During the day, the pavilion serves as a shelter and resting space. At night, it becomes an enclosed space of the unknown, embracing you with the freedom and protection to grow and reflect.
