A design for a pavilion constructed out of recycled clothes hangers has been selected as the winner of the sixth annual City of Dreams Pavilion Competition. The temporary structure will be built on Governors Island and available to the public for summer 2016, pending final approval and fundraising.
Hosted by FIGMENT, the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY), and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY), the competition speculates on possible futures with solutions to the current strain on economic and natural resources. Designers are required to consider their materials from sourcing to disposal, or ideally, reuse, promoting sustainable thinking.
Over 100 design proposals were submitted, and the jury selected four finalists who were each given a month to further develop their designs in response to jury comments. See the winning design and the three finalists after the break.
Winner:
Hanger Barn - Folio (Youngsu Lee and Bosuk Hur)
"Folio’s proposal for the Hanger Barn turns recycled clothes hangers into a pavilion using modular design techniques. It also creates the illusion of motion due to the placement of the hangers in fractal patterns, which create shadow effects on the ground below that change with the movement of the sun. The modular design is composed of the hanger’s original triangle shape, rotated and paired with mirrored segments that connect with zip ties. The intention is for the materials to be sourced from used wire coat hangers from dry cleaning facilities and reused after disassembly at various sites around New York City."
Finalists:
Catch Me if You Can - Multiply (Armand Devillard, Victor Diaz Ortega, and Nicolas Moser)
"The pavilion is an evocation of childhood memories: a large corn field sheltered under a light canopy, where visitors can relive a first hidden kiss, a game of hide and seek, a nap, or a racing slalom through twisting paths. The pavilion will use slalom gates, which are useless during summer, borrowed from a ski resort outside NYC and returned for the next ski season."
Nooks and Granny Squares - Crystal Collado and Kara Vujanovich
"Nooks and Granny Squares invites visitors to experience different spaces created by dome-shaped structures and a tactile skin. The main public space, formed by two large domes, allows visitors to gather in the shade and enjoy a performance. The crocheted skin is comprised of panels made up of recycled plastic bags and separates a semi-private interconnected cove from the main space, while partially open to the views of Governors Island. The nook, independent from the other domes, functions as a snug and private space for up to four people. Open and closed weaves allow light to filter into the pavilion during the day and escape at night, creating memorable moments at any time of the day."
Pneu Pavilion - Absolute Joint System (Nicholas Bruscia, Christopher Romano and Daniel Vrana w/ Alessandro Traverso and Martina Mongiardino)
"The Pneu Pavilion is a lightweight, air filled structure suspended at varying heights to create a smooth gradient between tall and short spaces, accommodating a wide range of age groups and activities. The tensile structure is made entirely from demountable and reusable structural components, while the inflated structural pillows are built from recycled vehicle inner tubes contained within layers of porous mesh. The air pressure in the skin allows the thin material to achieve the large span between the lenticular cable trusses, providing a soft surface that encourages viewers to interact with it, while the repeating pillow-like forms give the canopy a cloud-like appearance."
The winning design team will work with FIGMENT, ENYA, SEAoNY, and Governors Island to select the exact site for Hanger Barn, refine the design, obtain necessary approvals, and fabricate and install the pavilion on the island.
FIGMENT is accepting tax-deductible donations to support the fabrication, installation, and maintenance of the pavilion on Governors Island for the 2016 summer season. Donations can be made by following the link here: http://www.figmentproject.org/donate. The project will likely also be launching its own funding campaign.
