Co-Star
Design, Fabrication, Installation
Iconic Magazines - NYC
May 2023
FKB collaborated with Co-Star, the hyper-personalized social astrology app, to install a horoscope vending machine at the renowned Iconic Magazines store in downtown Manhattan. The machine is a physical manifestation of the app's latest feature, which enables users to ask questions to the stars and instantly receive an answer based on their natal chart and the real-time movements of the planets.
Co–Star approached FKB with a vision for an interactive astrological experience inspired by Zoltar fortune-telling machines. FKB's Design Engineering and Fabrication teams worked together to construct the six-foot-tall aluminum structure, while FKB's Creative Technology team collaborated closely with Co–Star's engineers to seamlessly integrate the app’s software and content corpus into the machine.
The joint effort involved programming video and web services that allow the user to select from ~100 pre-written questions, mechanical gauges to dynamically respond to user input of birth information, an ephemeris that models the current location of the planets in the sky, and a printer to deliver an answer as a physical receipt.
The #CoStarMachine immediately went viral across social media, with visitors—including reporters from The New York Times and celebrities like Julia Fox—asking over 26,000 questions during its two-month residency at Iconic Magazines. It will continue to travel to new locations - follow @costarastrology on Instagram to track where it shows up next.
FKB extends heartfelt gratitude to Co–Star and the entire team involved in turning this cosmic vision into a tangible reality.
What People Are Saying
“Though some of the answers stung more than I’d like…the machine is basically like an analog version of the app, and I loved playing with it.”
“I Tried The Julia Fox-Approved Co-Star Astrology Machine & Was Pleasantly Surprised” - Bustle
“We love the box! … The woman behind the counter told me she’s seen people “coming back twice a day,” usually before and after work.”
“CoStar's Viral Astrology Pop-Up Box Told Me to 'Learn to Dance in the Rain'” - Jezebel
“Despite its reliance on AI, Co-Star aims to capture the charm of traditional fortune-telling machines while providing users with unique readings.”
“Visitors Queue Up For Astro Readings” - DailyAlts
“At times, lines started to snake through the store as people waited for a turn. A lot of visitors said they had heard about the machine on TikTok.”
“Is A.I. the Future of Astrology” - The New York Times
@juliafox Co-star is really for the people!!! They really gave us a full astrology machine during this INSANE mercury in retrograde!
♬ original sound - Julia fox
