Please DO Touch the Holiday Decorations in Manhattan's Winter Garden

Can you imagine a holiday landmark that’s more iconic than the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree? Notable architect and designer David Rockwell can—and he created a festive public attraction in Manhattan’s Winter Garden that he hopes will compare with the massive Midtown evergreen.

The Winter Garden is a large public space inside Brookfield Place, the Battery Park City office and shopping complex that exists in what was once the World Financial Center. It boasts palm trees, sweeping views of the Hudson River, and a large staircase. Now, New York magazine reports that it’s also festooned with 650 hanging lights, or “luminoids,” which hang suspended above the tropical foliage.

From far away, the lights look like lanterns. But unlike ordinary lamps, they change color—and like a fountain, you can wish on them. On the floor, three touch-sensitive “wishing” stations allow visitors to invoke their deepest desires and choose a color. Once they select it and place their hands on the station, the rows of light are illuminated by that shade.

You won't be casting those wishes in vain, either. Arts Brookfield, a cultural initiative of the developer that owns the Winter Garden and other properties, partnered with the Grammy Foundation to contribute $1 per “wish.” They’ll donate a maximum of $25,000 to high school music programs across New York.

Called Luminaries, the installation will open to the public on December 2. You have until January 10, 2016, to check it out, or you can learn more about the project in the video above. 

All images courtesy of YouTube.

[h/t New York Times, New York]