Hou de Sous' "Sticks" at Socrates Sculpture Park

9 July - 31 December '16

Socrates Sculpture Park and The Architectural League of New York are pleased to announce this year’s winning proposal for Folly, an annual juried competition for architects and designers. The 2016 winner is the New York City-based firm Hou de Sousa, with their inventive proposal Sticks. Modeled to fit and complement existing site conditions, Sticks is a simple assembly of standard dimensional lumber interconnected to form a structural frame for educational and community use, as well as for providing art and material storage and display space. Finally, its porous façade reflects the park’s spirit of accessibility and dedication to transparency of process.

Hou de Sousa’s proposal was selected from submissions from around the world and reviewed by a jury of five esteemed architects and artists, comprising Jarrod Beck (artist and 2012 Emerging Artist Fellow), Stella Betts (LEVENBETTS), Lauren Crahan (Freecell Architecture), Giuseppe Lignano (LOT-EK), and John Hatfield (Executive Director of Socrates Sculpture Park). In past years, the Folly program has investigated the intersection between sculpture and architecture through the conceptual framework of “follies”—temporary structures that intentionally served no utilitarian purpose.

Marking the program’s fifth and the park’s thirtieth anniversaries, Folly 2016 marks a departure from previous years’ competitions by asking entrants to design a functional structure to enhance the park’s public programs. The result is a durable design that explores the relationship between art and architecture, while also creatively enhancing the park’s education studio, where more than 10,000 students annually participate in art-making classes.

Throughout May and June this summer, Hou de Sousa will be in the park building Sticks, in full view of the public; this transparency of the creative process is a distinct component of the Folly program. Sticks will be accompanied by a digital catalogue and unique editorial content hosted on archleague.org that details the project and process, featuring interviews with the architects and top proposals from the 2016 competition.

Hou de Sousa is an award-winning New York-based architecture and design studio founded by Josh de Sousa and Nancy Hou. The office has completed a range of work, including private residences, restaurants, public spaces, and art installations. Their primary objective is to provide innovative design solutions which are culturally progressive and environmentally responsible.

http://socratessculpturepark.org