Architectural Record
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Architectural Record
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Awards
    • Interviews
    • Obituaries
    • Podcasts
      • Design:Ed Podcast
      • Sponsored Podcasts
  • OPINION
    • Book Reviews / Excerpts
    • Exhibition Reviews
    • Forum
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Videos
    • Design Vanguard
    • Top 300 Firms
    • Sponsored Content
    • Sponsored eBooks
    • From the Archives
  • CONTINUING ED
    • Editorial Continuing Ed
    • CE Center
    • CE Academies
  • PROJECTS
    • Buildings By Type
    • Reuse & Renovation
    • Museums & Arts Centers
    • Colleges & Universities
    • Multifamily Housing
    • Interiors
    • Lighting
    • Kitchen & Bath
  • HOUSES
    • Record Houses
    • House of the Month
    • Featured Houses
  • PRODUCTS
    • Products by Category
    • Record Products of the Year
    • Latest Products
  • EVENTS
    • Dates & Events
    • Record on the Road
    • Innovation Conference
    • Sustainability in Practice
    • Women In Architecture
    • Webinars
    • Ad Excellence Awards
    • Submit an Event
  • CONNECT
    • Ask RECORD AI
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Store
    • Customer Service
  • SUBMIT
    • Submission Guidelines
    • RECORD Competitions
  • MAGAZINE
    • Subscribe
    • My Account
    • Digital Edition
    • Current Issue
    • Firm Pass
    • Historic Archive
Architecture News

2016 Young Architects Program Pavilion by Escobedo Soliz Studio Now on View at MoMA PS1

By Anna Fixsen
Young Architects Program

Escobedo Soliz Studio’s Weaving the Courtyard at MoMA PS1.

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program

Escobedo Soliz Studio’s Weaving the Courtyard at MoMA PS1.

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program

Escobedo Soliz Studio’s Weaving the Courtyard at MoMA PS1.

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program

Escobedo Soliz Studio’s Weaving the Courtyard at MoMA PS1.

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program

Escobedo Soliz Studio’s Weaving the Courtyard at MoMA PS1.

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program

Escobedo Soliz Studio’s Weaving the Courtyard at MoMA PS1.

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program

From left: Martino Stierli, Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design at MoMA; Lazbent Pavel Escobedo Amaral; Andres Soliz Paz; Sean Anderson, associate architecture curator at MoMA.

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program

The YAP pavilion architects, Andres Soliz Paz (left) and Lazbent Pavel Escobedo Amaral (right).

Photo © Architectural Record

Young Architects Program
Young Architects Program
Young Architects Program
Young Architects Program
Young Architects Program
Young Architects Program
Young Architects Program
Young Architects Program
June 16, 2016

Architects & Firms

Escobedo Solíz Studio

 

Video

MoMA PS1’s annual summertime party pavilion may be one of the most enviable commissions for young architects, but the museum’s director, Klaus Biesenbach, will remind you that in 1999 Philip Johnson—then 93—kicked the whole program off: “We always say he was the youngest architect who ever designed a Young Architects Pavilion,” Biesenbach told a crowd at this year’s installation unveiling June 8. “[PS1 Founder] Alanna Heiss and I explained this was meant to be a nightclub and an urban beach. And he said ‘I know more about that than you two.’”

Johnson’s design was a standalone mesh structure that combined a dance floor, DJ booth, and seating area. Subsequent pavilions similarly were conceived as single objects in the museum’s concrete-walled courtyard, made from increasingly zany materials ranging from skateboard decks, to corn smut. However, this summer’s winning project, designed by Mexico City-based duo Escobedo Soliz Studio is something of a palate cleanser: a cloud-like canopy woven over the entire space.

“What makes this installation different from other years is that it really deals with the given architectural context in a sensible way by weaving this ethereal roof into the concrete wall,” said Martino Stierli, chief curator of architecture and design at MoMA and Young Architects Program (YAP) juror.

The YAP pavilion—now in its 17th edition—provides shade for party-goers during MoMA PS1’s summer Warm Up dance party series. For their pavilion, called Weaving the Courtyard, Escobedo Soliz Studio used existing holes in the concrete—left by the original formwork ties—to fasten the ropes in a Cat’s Cradle-like array, forming the airy, neon canopy. The designers trucked in tons of sand to create an artificial beach beneath. In other corners of the courtyard—for when the temperatures and the revelry heats up—the architects build a two-foot-deep wading pool and a mist room, cleverly integrating the nozzles into the tie holes. The installation also features a timber dance floor and DJ booth with integrated planters.

Escobedo Soliz Studio is the first Mexican firm to win the YAP pavilion competition and, remarkably, the commission also marks the firm’s first built work. “We can’t believe it,” said co-founder Andres Soliz Paz at the opening. He thanked the institutions for “believing in a young firm from Mexico.” Added firm partner, Lazbent Pavel Escobedo Amaral, “Today is the most important day of our lives, and it is a pleasure to share this with you,”

You can check out Weaving the Courtyard at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens until August 21.



 

Looking for quick answers on architecture and design topics?
Try Ask RECORD, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask RECORD →

KEYWORDS: Mexico MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Anna Fixsen was a staff writer and editor for Architectural Record from 2013 to 2017, during which time she covered topics ranging from new projects to human rights, and edited Firms to Watch—a special section devoted to emerging architecture firms.

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Architectural Record audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Architectural Record or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • cold storage facility
    Sponsored byCarlisle SynTec Systems

    How Architects Can Design More Continuous Cold Storage Envelopes

  • TAMLYN XtremeTrim Exterior Trim
    Sponsored byTamlyn

    Designing Cleaner Panel Facades: Why Exterior Trim Details Matter

  • Building with Vapor Barriers
    Sponsored byReef Industries, Inc.

    Vapor Barriers Help Control Moisture in Tighter Building Designs

DESIGN:ED Podcast
Listen to Architectural Record’s DESIGN:ED Podcast

Events

June 30, 2026

Generator Selection and Sizing for Outage-Ready Homes

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Explore how propane-powered systems and whole-home generators can improve energy resilience, reduce electrical loads, and lower long-term residential costs.

July 1, 2026

Hospitality in Higher Education

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Explore how hospitality-driven campus design can strengthen belonging, wellbeing, and community connection in higher education environments.

View All Submit An Event

Products

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

Popular Stories

Obama Presidential Center, Chicago

The Obama Presidential Center Opens on Chicago’s South Side

Spoonbill Ranch

Johnsen Schmaling Architects Integrates Spoonbill Ranch into a Pristine Landscape

Kìwekì Point, Ottawa, Canada

Perched High Above the Ottawa River, Kìwekì Point Showcases Sweeping Views of the Canadian Capital Region

Baileywick Park

An Elegant Pavilion by In Situ Studio Adds Sheltered Courts and a Gateway to a Public Park in Raleigh

Ayn Rand Center rendering

John Ronan Architects Designs Cultural and Education Hub for the Ayn Rand Institute in Austin

Generator Selection and Sizing for Outage-Ready Homes - Free Webinar - June 30, 2026

Related Articles

  • Young Architects Program 2016 Winner

    Escobedo Solíz Studio Wins 2016 Young Architects Program Competition

    See More
  • Young Architects Pavilion

    2017 Young Architects Pavilion Now on View in MoMA PS1’s Courtyard

    See More
  • Escobedo Soliz Studio

    Firm to Watch: Escobedo Soliz Studio

    See More
×

The latest news and information

#1 Source for Architectural Design, News and Products

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Submit
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • Linkedin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing