“Finding that dataset was like stumbling onto a secret about New York City: nearly 18,000 unused spaces across all five boroughs, just sitting there while people complain about not having access to fresh food or green space. As someone who spends their time digging into local politics and urban issues, I knew we’d found something that could actually matter beyond the typical design competition cycle.

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“Most data projects end up as pretty visualizations that people glance at and forget. We wanted to build something that would force people to pay attention differently. Rowen walks through your neighborhood, stops outside that vacant lot you pass every day, and suddenly you’re thinking about what could grow there instead of just walking by. The puppet makes those 18,000 invisible spaces impossible to ignore.

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“What gets me excited about this project is how it refuses to stay contained in the art world. Sure, it started as a competition entry, but now it’s evolving into actual infrastructure, actual gardens, actual change in communities. That’s what great design should do: escape the gallery and become part of people’s daily lives.”