“RRRolling Stones” by HANNAH wins Folly/Function 2018

“RRRolling Stones” by design practice HANNAH is the winner of the Folly/Function 2018 competition! Organized by Socrates Sculpture Park and The Architectural League of New York, the 2018 competition invited entrants to submit their most creative proposals for movable outdoor seating to be used at the Park. Previous winners in recent years include Eva Jensen's “Circle Shade - 2πr4” and Hou de Sousa's “Sticks” pavilion.

Read on for more about RRRolling Stones.

“RRRolling Stones” exhibits HANNAH's emphasis on advancing 3D-printing and manufacturing techniques. Made from 3D-printed concrete, the seats can be tumbled around to reveal different seating profiles. Their playful, versatile shape encourages users to configure them in original arrangements based on personal preference and need, whether as a linear bench, small clusters, or as solitary seats across the Park landscape.

The seats were prototyped and printed at the Cornell Robotic Construction Laboratory in Ithaca, New York. Their striated surfaces reveal layers of a special cement mixture reinforced with nylon fibers. During printing, the interior is supported with a bed of gravel, which gives the seat a geologic character and enables the creation of their cantilevered forms. Computer-aided manufacturing of the seats allows for potential mass customization of similar forms.

“The jury felt that RRRolling Stones explored several directions that overlapped in one conceptually strong solution: it engages both individuals and the larger community while demonstrating how new technology can reimagine familiar building materials, ultimately culminating in the reinvention of the typical park bench,” jury member Allan Wexler commented.

The public unveiling of RRRolling Stones takes place at Socrates Sculpture Park on July 12. The evening opening event will  feature a live jazz concert, and HANNAH will discuss their designs. The event is free and open to all!

The 2018 Folly/Function jury included: Allan Wexler, Artist; Chee Pearlman, Curator, Arts and Design, TED Conferences; Mark Yoes, Principal, WXY; Leon Ransmeier, Designer, Ransmeier, Inc.; Nick Koster, Project Manager, Snøhetta; and Jess Wilcox, Director of Exhibitions, Socrates Sculpture Park.

Check out more photos of RRRolling Stones in the gallery below.

All photos courtesy of The Architectural League of New York.