Street light: Manhattanhenge and the plan of the city

Manhattanhenge, a twice-annual solar occurrence that witnesses an alignment of the setting sun with the grid of towers and streets in New York City, has become increasingly popular due to institutional legitimization and the proliferation of dedicated online communities. This article not only argues for the consideration of Manhattanhenge as an informal mass street spectacle, but also identifies its very appearance as the product of an ongoing 200-year experiment in urban design. Manhattan, defined in terms of geography, city plan and vertical expansion, makes visible the solar phenomenon, which itself makes possible a renewed engagement with the urban setting itself.