by: Jessica Sheridan Assoc. AIA LEED AP
Holding Pattern, by Interboro, at PS1.
Jessica Sheridan
MoMA’s recent trend toward more socially aware design continues. “Holding Pattern,” the winner of this year’s MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program designed by Interboro, takes the connection to the local community a step further than WORKac’s Public Farm 1 did in 2008. By asking the museum’s neighbors, “Is there something you need that we could design, use in the courtyard during the summer, and then donate to you when Holding Pattern is deinstalled in the fall?”
The canopy of “sails” engages well with the perimeter walls — a shortcoming of many previous designs — as the strips of fabric sway in the wind and cast shadows across the walls and ground. A quiet grove of trees in the smaller courtyard provides an aromatic refuge from the activity in the main space. Ping Pong and Foosball will offer lighthearted fun throughout the summer. Flexible furniture, including benches and stools, allow visitors to reconfigure the space as needed.
The main shortcoming of the design is in the space planning. There is no clear path from which one is supposed to experience the courtyard. I found that when I entered into the space I saw wading pools, a misting platform, and a lifeguard chair in front of me; some rows of trees to the right; and picnic and game tables to the left. Every piece of furniture was given the same amount of importance in my vision with no central focal point, and nothing drew me into the space further. As I moved through the courtyard, I felt that the space was very static, despite the number of pieces and variation in size and use. Also, as the staff geared up for the Summer WarmUp series — Saturday afternoon music, sound, and DJ performances — I saw them busy removing handfuls of gravel from the wading pools and sweeping the misting platform clean of debris. If maintenance is this difficult on a weekly basis, how will the pieces hold up in the future, permanent locations?
Ultimately, the best aspect of Holding Pattern is the concept behind it. Interboro’s signature cartoons show how the pieces will be used in the future. Each piece has a tag marking which organization is slated to receive it. A small publication maps out the various locations and organizations to which the various items will be distributed. A series of programs hosted by local organizations will bring the community into the courtyard. And, hopefully, at the end of summer, the installation will live on in its many iterations.