Project by Sebastian Irizarry
Chilibration celebrates the bond between people and plants through chilies and peppers, using gastronomy as a shared language. Set in City Hall Park, the project turns everyday acts like watering, harvesting, and tasting into small rituals that bring people together. Chilies, grown and eaten across cultures, become a unifying ingredient in a city shaped by many histories.
At ground level, the existing garden continues to grow. Above it floats a raised metal-mesh platform supported by thin columns, allowing people to walk while seeing the plants below. Surrounding the platform, tall wooden columns hold a network of ropes from which soil pouches hang, forming a canopy of chili plants. The pouches are color-coded by spice level, guiding touch and choice. As visitors move through the space, care for plants, and interact with vendors, cultivation becomes a collective ritual of exchange and shared cultures.
