Wendy Opens at MoMA PS1 / HWKN

Yesterday afternoon, inside the playground of MoMA PS 1, we met Wendy - HWKN’s temporary summer installation for the 2012 Young Architects Program. As an experiment in pushing the boundaries of what architecture can do in an urban environment, Wendy certainly makes an impression. Her blue spiky arms shoot passed the confines of PS 1′s courtyard walls, immediately attracting the attention and piquing the curiosity of those meandering along Jackson Street. Conceptualized as a storm, Wendy intends to challenge the public’s notion of what architecture should be, as the structure’s ecological function will actually clean the air. ”Wendy does not play the typical architecture game of ecological apology – instead she is pro-active,” explained HWKN.
More about Wendy after the break.
HWKN commissioned to rebuild Fire Island Pines Pavilion

Due to a devastating fire last November, New York architects HWKN (Hollwich Kushner) have been commissioned by FIP Ventures to redesign and rebuild the legendary Pavilion dance club of Fire Island Pines. Located just four miles off the coast of Long Island, the popular gay resort welcomes over 800,000 summer visitor each year. The wooden pavilion will be the harbor’s main attraction, welcoming visitors as they arrive by ferry with two, lively stories of outdoor terrace and a “Welcome Bar”.
“Although the new building will have the same envelope and mix of uses as its predecessor, the similarities end there,” says Matthew Blesso, developer and managing partner of FIP Ventures. “The Pavilion will be in context with other Pines architecture. It will be made of wood and be modern and casual, yet bold and iconic. It is the first thing visitors see when getting off the ferry, and we’ve envisioned it to be the heart of the Pines community.”
HWKN wins the 2012 Young Architects Program at MoMA PS1 in New York

The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1 have announced the New York based office HWKN (HollwichKushner) as winner of the annual Young Architects Program (YAP) in New York. As winners of the 13th edition of the program, HWKN will construct an outdoor summer installation at the PS1 courtyard in Long Island City, Queens. The winning proposal, known as Wendy, was selected from five finalists and will provide a unique setting for the popular Warm Up summer music series.
Continue reading for more.
Aging in Africa / HWKN
HWKN has completed their schematic design phase for their recent project, Aging in Africa, which will move toward construction in the beginning of next year. The project, a retirement community for Catholic priests, (who are excluded from the traditional, family based, model of elder care in Cote D’Ivoire), will be the first age-valued community on the African continent. This simplistic approach to housing will create an environment which is well-suited for the users-where the elderly will be safe and comfortable, and continue to maintain a meaningful and healthy lifestyle.
More about the project after the break.






