Starry Night in Queens: Reflecting on Astra Lumina

Last weekend, I went to an event at the Queens Botanical Garden called Astra Lumina. It’s basically a night walk where they use lights, music, and other stuff to make the garden look like a starry wonderland.

Honestly, it looked like pure fun! But it also sparked a connection to my Design Thinking class. We’ve been diving into how designers approach problems and create solutions. Astra Lumina felt like a perfect example. They took a beautiful space — the gardens — and used creative lighting, music, and interactivity to completely transform the experience for visitors.

It wasn’t just cool to look at, it was a whole experience for your senses. The music chilled you out perfectly as you walked by the amazing lights, and you could smell all the flowers blooming in the cool night air. It wasn’t just seeing art, it felt like you were totally part of it.

Astra Lumina got me thinking about how design can be used to completely change our perspective. They took something familiar and made it extraordinary, using elements like light and sound to create a whole new experience. It could be related to the design thinking principle of “reframing” — seeing a problem or situation from a different angle to come up with innovative solutions.

This experience left me wanting more. It showed me the power of creativity in transforming spaces and experiences. It also made me curious about how design thinking can be applied in everyday life. Maybe it’s about finding new ways to use a familiar space at home, or looking at a problem at work with fresh eyes. Whatever the challenge, Astra Lumina’s creative approach to transforming a garden serves as a great reminder to embrace a little wonder and think outside the box.