Artificial Love
Coney Island became much more than an escape from the city, it became an alternate reality. If it didn't exist naturally, it was created. Can't enjoy the ocean at night? Boom, electric bathing. Can't find love? Bam, Barrels of Love. It's amazing how ahead of it's time Coney Island was. The developers identified that even among the throngs of people attracted to Coney, people were finding it hard to connect. That even though the thriving Metropolis increased the number of people and thus, their interactions, individuals felt lonely and alienated. The Barrels of Love were conceived to solve that problem and force couples together. Not very different from modern online dating websites or apps like Tinder. Years later, Metropolis faces the same struggles. Could architecture solve the feelings of alienation and loneliness within a city?
It’s interesting to look at Barrels of Love as a positive part of what’s generally regarded as a negative context. The created reality of Coney Island which caused loneliness within the growing crowds also created its own solution to the problem. A different, but contextually appropriate way for people to connect.
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