An arts student installed a 700-pound wood and concrete chess board in the Lang courtyard in early February in hopes of bringing New Schoolers together, he said.
Josh Ehrenberg, 23, a BAFA student at Lang and Parsons, and a team of others built the chess board, piling slabs of concrete and plywood atop each other, on the eastern steps of the courtyard on Feb. 2, fulfilling a class assignment he was given in the Integrative Design Program, he said.
He struck on the idea of a chess board when he was assigned to create “a personal project,” but wanted to make something that benefitted others and remembered the popular chess games in nearby Union and Washington Squares.
“I want people to have a reason to gather around and watch a game, people who don’t necessarily know each other will be standing next to each other with a common interest and that’s an opportunity,” Ehrenberg said.
Ehrenberg thought The New School lacked a close community but saw the Lang courtyard as a unique and unused opportunity to change that.
“Ever so often something will happen in the center [of it] and it’s a very nice feeling when that happens. It brings people out to it and kind of gives people the opportunity to enjoy something together,” Ehrenberg said.
Once Ehrenberg solidified his idea, he met with the Lang Student Union and discussed the funding for his chess set.
“Josh determined the [cost] through research. We made sure he broke down how much each part of the chess board would cost, rather than just estimates. He then got approval from facilities and the university’s curator to execute his project,” said Amanda Manning, a Lang Student Union facilitator.
Ehrenberg has yet to see the impact of the board, but hopes it will be more rewarding as the weather warms up. Regardless, he has gotten a lot of positive feedback about the installation from friends and acquaintances, he said.
“It’s cold right now so I have yet to see it work in the group,” Ehrenberg said.
“I think that a lot of people will use the chessboard after the winter especially since it’s in such a convenient area where students are all the time already,” said Lily Smith, a sophomore at Lang.
For further chess interest, Ehrenberg is planning on creating a chess club in the near future. So if you’re looking to join, please email him at: ehrej883@newschool.edu.