Salvage Swings, designed by Somewhere Studio, wins 2019 City of Dreams Pavilion competition

This summer, visitors at Roosevelt Island will be greeted by a playful installation as part of the City of Dreams Pavilion competition. Now in its seventh year, the annual competition hosted by the non-profit FIGMENT (along with the Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter, and the Structural Engineers Association of New York) asks designers to develop a temporary pavilion that has a net zero impact and can serve as a prototype for a new ways of thinking about design and construction.

The winning project, Salvage Swings, has been designed by the Arkansas architecture practice Somewhere Studio—and features a series of 12 swing modules made of scrap CLT salvaged from a construction project at the University of Arkansas. The modular structures, which provide covered areas for swinging and sitting, will be arranged in a triangular form to enable communal play. After the summer, the installation will be relocated as individual swings to parks and schools across New York City.

Pending approvals and fundraising, the structure will be assembled on Roosevelt Island and open to the public for the summer 2019 season. The design team is working with FIGMENT, ENYA, SEAoNY, the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, and the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation to select the exact site, refine the design, obtain necessary approvals, and fabricate and install the pavilion on the island.

FIGMENT is currently accepting tax-deductible donations to support the fabrication, installation, and maintenance of the pavilion. Donations can be made by following the link here.