A bright red, swing-filled installation has taken over the plaza at Lincoln Center and you’re absolutely allowed (encouraged, even) to climb in and give it a go.
Called “Mi Casa, Your Casa 2.0,” the interactive piece is now open to the public as part of Lincoln Center’s Big Umbrella Festival, which runs through April 26. Designed by Mexico-based studio Esrawe + Cadena, the installation draws inspiration from the bustling mercados of Latin America.
The concept is simple but, in execution, surprisingly charming. Scattered across the plaza are a series of open, house-shaped frames painted a punchy red, each one just big enough to step inside. Inside, a swing—and not a metaphorical one. There are eight of these mini houses in total, each roughly 8 feet wide and nearly 10 feet tall, arranged to create a kind of open-air neighborhood you can move through at your own pace.
Visitors are invited to wander from “casa” to “casa,” taking a seat and swaying as the installation reacts around them. When a structure is empty, it glows softly white, like a quiet invitation. Step inside and the light brightens, signaling (at least in this tiny world) that someone’s home.
The installation is free, no tickets required and designed for all ages, making it one of the easiest drop-in activities on the Lincoln Center campus right now. You’ll find it on Josie Robertson Plaza for most of its run, with a brief mid-festival move to Hearst Plaza from April 15–21.
Beyond the swings and glowing frames, Mi Casa, Your Casa 2.0 is part of the Big Umbrella Festival, a multi-week series built around inclusive, sensory-friendly programming for neurodiverse audiences. Everything, from performances to installations like this one, is designed to be welcoming and flexible in how people can experience it.
Or, you can just treat it as an unusually scenic place to sit and swing for a few minutes in midtown.