Competition Entry for the Architectural League of New York's "Folly 2015"

Location: Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, NY
Project Date: January 2015

Design Team: 
Alfredo Pimentel
Athena Patira

Description
In the midst of the existing foliage, a counter point is placed at the bend in the path. The alien object is none other than the final product of what the trees could potentially become in a future life. Ironically, as simple as a pile of carefully placed lumber may be, the surrounding trees manage to effortlessly remain as an efficient tool for shade that remain in a state of constant metamorphosis - which for some may consider a trait of inherit beauty.

The folly of the shed is its overly meticulous placement of materials in hope that it can achieve a mere fraction of the shade that it’s pre-existing counterpart is able to produce. Our intent with this piece is to raise a broader discourse in regards to the price of intentionality and being honest when faced with personal agendas that may interfere with simply designing to a problem and not to an asset that can very well solve the problem. In the case of this particular folly, the design team is capitalizing on a series of basic operations that yield a final effect that produces subpar shade with an inefficient and disassociated use of the units being arrayed.

Measuring at a total length of nearly 88 feet, the folly sits on a total of 6 precast concrete pavers ( 3 on either side) and is composed of two primary building components - 2x6 & and 2x12 lumber. Horizontally, each layer is made into one continuous unit measuring 30 feet long by means of half lapped splicing each strand of lumber together. Vertically, a threaded rod and framing screws will be used to tie the layers together with their joints occurring in a running bond configuration. Using this splicing technique, each “wing” of the folly is made of two spliced subgroups that utilize a rule of orientation.