The day after New York City’s first snowstorm (albeit a miniature one), allow yourself to day-dream about visiting the City of Dreams Pavilion on Governors Island during a breezy summer’s day in 2016.
The competition, hosted by FIGMENT, the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the AIA New York (AIANY), and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY), hopes to “Focus on the future of a world that faces strains on both economic and natural resources, aims to promote sustainability-oriented thinking amidst the architecture and design communities.”
A jury reviewed over 100 design proposals and selected four finalists. Each team then had a month to further develop their projects based on comments form the jury.
The winner for the sixth annual installation has been announced as Hanger Barn by Folio. The firm’s design “turns recycled clothes hangers into a pavilion using modular design techniques,” according to a statement from FIGMENT. “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 reused after disassembly at various sites around New York City.”
The three additional finalists included:
Catch Me if You Can by Multiply (Armand Devillard, Victor Diaz Ortega, and Nicolas Moser)
According to FIGMENT:
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 by Crystal Collado and Kara Vujanovich
According to FIGMENT:
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 by Nicholas Bruscia, Christopher Romano and Daniel Vrana w/ Alessandro Traverso and Martina Mongiardino (Absolute Joint System)
According to FIGMENT:
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.
