By Olivia Scheck and Nina Mandell
DNAinfo Reporter/Producers
UNION SQUARE — They're a commemoration of the Jews' exodus from Israel, a basic shelter which celebrates God's provision for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness.
In New York, the sukkahs have become a method of artistic expression.
Sukkah City is an international design competition which saw hundreds of variations on the traditional sukkah.
The 12 finalists were put on show in Union Square Park Sunday - where they'll be on public display leading up to the week-long festival of Sukkot, which starts September 22.
A single sukkah, which will be judged the competition's winner Monday, will stand alone for the duration of the festival.
The designs range from a giant log over a glass structure to a collection of panels gathered in the shape of an arc.
"We want you to feel like you're entering a totally different space," said Michael Loverich, a designer for Bittertang, one of the firms that entered the contest.
On Sunday morning, pedestrians mulled about Union Square looking at the different structures, some of which were still being built, and speaking to some of the artists as they perfected their entries.
"I love that the artists are here," said 53-year-old Patti Ann Harris, who came with her husband from New Jersey to see the display. "They're so engaging and so passionate and it's great to interact with them."
Before coming to Union Square, the sukkahs had to mirror the Jewish legend of wandering in the desert — in this case it meant coming from Brooklyn to Union Square overnight.
For Harris, she said she appreciated the symbolism of what the sukkahs meant — but also the simplicity of the tradition.
"I think I would love to be able to go out and have my coffee in one in the morning," she said.
