As many students’ stress levels increase in the wake of finals, they can now take a study break on a set of swings in south campus due to design students’ new installation, “Let the People Swing.”

“It’s really joyful and it reminds you of childhood,” said Sarah Scholl, senior education major.

Wanting to preserve the 80-foot wide, 8-foot tall mural painted over a sound barrier during the construction of the Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health, design professor Daniel Chang’s Integrated Design 3 class decided to repurpose the mural by providing places for people to meet.

“The purpose of that mural was to give back to the community because the art community felt very boxed in because we had these sound walls around us and it was a really tough time,” Chang said. “They wanted to create something to encourage this side of campus and especially the art students.”

A representative from the class must always remain present at the swings while they are up. In addition to the swings, they used bits and pieces of the mural to create benches and chairs in the walking area and the neighboring gardens overlooking the Lim center.

“So the mural lives on, in a very different kind of form and it still gives back to the community in a very different kind of way,” Chang said.

FUTURE PLANS

Despite being a temporary art installation, Chang hopes to receive further approval to leave the hardware for the swings installed so they can host more swing events in future semesters.

“Students [can use] this opportunity to come to the south part of campus to relax and enjoy a beautiful day on the swings,” Chang said. “Having them up [permanently] would be fantastic, but really even if it’s moments in the semester where we could have a week of swings, I think would be helpful.”

Many swingers took breaks from studying to come and enjoy the sunny day on the swings and hope to see them again in the future.

“I’d love it to be longer than just a week,” Scholl said.