Afterparty, P.S.1 2009 Installation / MOS Architects

Jul 2009

By David Basulto — Filed under: Structures , MOS, New York, PS1, USA

A few months ago we presented you the winning entry for this years YAP competition for the P.S.1 summer installation, awarded to MOS Architects (Michael Meredith, Hilary Sample) as we reported earlier.

This competition has been a field for experimentation on digital manufacturing, new materials and new construction techniques -all under a tight budget-, as we saw in 2008 with the P.F.1 by WORKac.

To keep the courtyard fresh, a series of “hut” like structures conformed by inverted catenaries (part of an on going research by the practice) acting as chimneys: The faux fur that covers them collects heat from the sun, transfering it to the air inside the huts creating a chimney effect that keeps air flowing to cool the lower level.

The resulting space corresponds to the after-party concept envisioned by MOS:

The main purpose of the afterparty is to provide a relaxing environment, as compared to the earlier venue, where the atmosphere is usually more frenetic. During an afterparty people often sit down, relax, and chat freely, meet new people in a more controlled setting. If the original party was one that continued until late at night, the afterparty will often include a morning snack, which usually counts as breakfast. …. Possibly in contrast to relaxation, the afterparty can provide a chance for people to get away from the eyes of people who were overseeing the main party. This tends to be more common in events such as school balls where alcohol consumption is not allowed, and provides a location where the partygoers will be allowed to drink. In this case, the afterparty may turn out to be more lively than the main party, as the people are freed from the restrictions that were placed on them during the main party.

All photos by © Florian Holzherr. See more after the break:

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: © Florian Holzherr

: courtesy of MOS

: courtesy of MOS

: courtesy of MOS

: courtesy of MOS

: courtesy of MOS

: courtesy of MOS

: courtesy of MOS

33 comments »

kidybang says:

lol mammoth style

# July 28, 2009 at 10:33

Jim says:

Snuffleupagus!

# July 29, 2009 at 07:28

davvid says:

i suspect that the reasons why Fino hates this are the reasons why I love it

# July 28, 2009 at 10:41

ricardo says:

tosco

# July 28, 2009 at 11:12

CMO ARCH says:

Looks like a giant tarantula!

# July 28, 2009 at 12:11

josep says:

I don’t understand this, Wish they had picked PARA’s project instead! What a waste!!!!!!!!!

# July 28, 2009 at 12:26

INawe says:

I remember seeing the renderings of this and thinking, “Wow, this project is pretty interesting and should look amazing.” Oh, how I was wrong. Instead, the finishes (interior and exterior) look very cheap. It is as if a shag carpet has come to life. :(

# July 28, 2009 at 12:33

Will says:

Have any of you ACTUALLY visited and experienced the installation in person to QUALIFY your gripes about this project?

# July 28, 2009 at 13:49

rfiver says:

Yes. I’ve visited it on a Saturday & Sunday. When its crowded and empty. It looks like Alf took over PS1. This is probably the worst “winner” in the history of YAP, which is unfortunate.

# July 28, 2009 at 19:02

Frank says:

Will,
I agree. It’s pretty amazing in real life, very shocking and odd. It’s not cheap looking at all. the animal and hair like quality of the exterior is disturbing, but the geometry of the structure is really tight and nicely distributed within the courtyard space.
Frank F.

# July 29, 2009 at 07:26

llama llama llama says:

i will visit my cousin llamas soon and let you know if the gripes are well founded or poor photography.

# July 28, 2009 at 13:51

richie says:

like the return to the cave!

# July 28, 2009 at 14:50

patentpolice says:

Like it or not, you’ve got to respect anyone who follows through and constructs a PS1 project. It’s hell, logistically and financially. Anyone who’s done it will tell you this.

# July 28, 2009 at 18:34

Rembo says:

Rembo thinks all you design trolls are sorry excuses for humans. Maybe have a little appreciation for something that is beyond anything you will ever be capable of accomplishing. That is, until you get something built at PS1.

# July 28, 2009 at 21:37

At least we are human… unlike the person that speaks in the third person. I never said it wasn’t deserving to be at PS1 because it showed a lot of promise. Unfortunately, its realization lacks the flavor of the renderings. It performs as it should but it still is quite ugly. MOS needs to keep experimenting and look for better materials.

# July 28, 2009 at 22:26

Rembo thinks you “lack flavor,” as does your appreciation for grammar. Maybe you need to keep experimenting. Oh yeah, and after that, let me know when you get something built.

# July 29, 2009 at 22:19

Jame's Turrell says:

Rembo – I declare this work tosh. You troll.

# July 28, 2009 at 23:26

warts says:

i love it! it’s the most bizarre ps1 yet. also it’s the first that actually produces shade.

# July 29, 2009 at 07:20

MAD*arx says:

looked way better as a model… amazing volumetrically, but not so amazing furry outer-layer choice…

# July 29, 2009 at 08:57

David Basulto [tricky] says:

Personally, I think that what MOS proposed was accomplished. I like how this pieces can serve as an example for passive temperature controlling urban pieces. I´m sure that this approach won´t go unnoticed, and we will see more of it in the future.

Take a look at what Ecosistema Urbano did at their Boulevard in Vallecas, another good example of that:

http://www.archdaily.com/6303/eco-boulevard-in-vallecas-ecosistema-urbano/

# July 29, 2009 at 10:38

syd088 says:

I think it’s great. The material and form different from what is expected. Makes people think….. which, especially applicable for a museum instalation.

# July 29, 2009 at 11:06

I’m assuming some people have not been to the site
there is not need for sheltering the beautiful open space [part of the beauty of this former public school] in the past some successful entries have deal with the heat just fine with sprinklers falling from highest point etc why doing this vernacular installation? I was excited to see the renderings but highly disappointing with the final result this is as bad as Hernan Diaz Alonzo installation and for your information the winning installations nowadays get more money than the past installations

# July 29, 2009 at 12:31

architecture without architects says:

joep,
- the fact that you think the existing courtyard is beautiful already makes me worry!!! also that space was designed by frederick fisher a pretty good LA architect, not part of the school.
- $70,000 for a 10,000SF surface…. $7 per SF
- this is just infinitely cooler (literally) than previous ones…
- renderings were horrible, it looked like a tiki hut, this is much nicer in real life

# July 29, 2009 at 13:23

actually I know the architect of the renovation
almost every past installation except for xefirotarch’s is nicer, if you live in New York City should understand the importance for New Yorkers to enjoy the summer
is not the Caribbean is NY where the winter last about 10 months
in my opinion and the opinion of lots of PS1 follower a big disappointment, in previous year i will go every saturday now I went twice and will not go back
and please re visit Massie’s, N Architects and Shops….

# July 29, 2009 at 14:51

tony says:

I agree with Josep’s opinion, a big disappointment
and yes the renovation to the existing building was done by
Frederick Fisher and I do think is a beutiful space as it
in fact is nicer than this installation, my studio is located around the corner from here and every summer we would go to
relax to PS1 but this is horrible and perhaps one of the
worst project in the history of the warm ups projects
I will take back Shops, or Bill Massie’s or N architects even
Lindy Roy’s project was nicer than this

# July 29, 2009 at 15:06

yes… “cooler” :)

# July 30, 2009 at 18:35

yes the renovation was done by Frederik Fisher and Partners and yes I do think is a beautiful space, have you been in the winter? Beautiful!

# July 29, 2009 at 15:14

Paul Bunion says:

I was there this weekend. Pretty unique and prehistoric.
The secondary adjacent space was really neglected and pretty poorly conceived. The main space was much better and the water-misters added a cooling effect that really made it comfortable.

# July 29, 2009 at 17:11

alice says:

I live around the corner and have seen almost all the ps1 entries, and I agree with people that it’s pretty weird and maybe even ugly, but I thought Shop’s was small, ugly, and rough when I saw it.
That said, it might be the best one I’ve been to. It works really well and does a few things that no other entries have done before:
1 Actually provide shade and a cool space, this really has shaded spaces to escape from the heat.
2 Provides a LOT of seating and places to hang out. we go eat our lunch there sometimes, it’s a nice place to have a picnic with your kids.
3 Intimate spaces, smaller scale spaces. It’s the first that feels like it makes a real interior space. It’s more like a building than the other ones.
4 It’s really tall and has an serious presence in the city and on the surrounding street. The fuzzy chimneys look better from outside the wall than within the courtyard.

# July 29, 2009 at 23:37

I live around the corner from ps1 and have seen most of the entries from the past few years and agree with some other comments that it’s pretty awkward looking, sort of “Where the Wild Things Are,” but this does some things that others haven’t done before. It actually provides substantial amount of shade (it’s an amazingly large structure) and functions really well. It provides a lot of seating to hang out- I go there with my kids to have a picnic lunch sometimes. They love it. It has smaller scale spaces that are more intimate and it really makes more of an interior space. Also,it has a presence in the city, it’s tall and you can really see the chimneys from outside the wall. I like the chimneys more from outside the wall than inside.

# July 30, 2009 at 08:19