Jungle cyclorama: Hórama Rama by Pedro & Juana at MoMA PS1

The Young Architecture Program is organised by MoMA PS1 (one of the oldest institutions for contemporary art in the USA) in collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Pórama Rama, an immersive jungle landscape designed by Pedro & Juana (Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo & Mecky Reuss) has proved to be the winning entry in the programme's 20th iteration.

Showing an imaginary pictorial representation of the Mexican city Mérida and featuring a functioning waterfall and hammocks, the 40-foot-tall and 90-foot-wide cyclorama installation reconfigures the MoMA PS1 courtyard into a jungle in stark contrast with the backdrop of Queens. By juxtaposing these two landscapes in transition – the jungle and the skyline of Long Island City – Pedro & Juana hope their Hórama Rama will initiate a higher intensity of cultural exchange.

As pointed out by Sean Anderson, Associate Curator at MoMA’s Department of Architecture and Design, all five finalists submitted narratives involving surfaces, movement, space and structure that both reveal and conceal. Yet it was the circular volume of Hórama Rama with its protruding wood spikes and immersive environment that particularly stood out.

Further information: 

Project Leaders: Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo and Mecky Reuss

Team P&J: Adriana Carlos, Vani Monjaraz

Fabrication
Scaffold: Swing Staging
Hair Modules: Installers, SFDS
Jungle Panels: Grupo Mega Rotulación, Querétaro City, Qro, Mexico
Fabrication Volunteers (hair module builders):
Zachary Enesi Mulitauaopele, Stephan Anton van Eeden, Juan Pablo Uribe, Valeria Paez Cala, Sadie Dempsey, Julia Di Pietro, Cirus Henry, Naitian Yang, Mireya Fabregas, Marcell Aurel Sandor, Christine Giorgio, Shane Algiere, Shane Algiere, Kevin Savillon, Bennett Kociak, Nicolas Carmona, Sidney Hoskulds-Linet

Janitor service: Cage&Cave
Structural Engineer: Arup Structures, Shaina Saporta, Victoria Valencia, James Angevine
Lighting: Arup Lighting, Kristen Garibaldi, Xena Petkanas, Haniyeh Mirdamadi; Lighting bulbs donated by Electric Lighting Agencies
Waterfall Consultant: Jenna Didier; Arup Plumbing, Allison Spencer
Hammocks: Entre Nudos Merida, Yu, Mexico
Lumber: Lenoble Lumber, Claudy Narchet (sales)
Model: Julia DiPietro, Yuki Nakayama
General Contractor: Fahey Design Build; Michael Fahey, AIA, Christine Fahey, Michael Kreha

HISTORY

This year marks the 22nd summer that MoMA PS1 has hosted an architectural installation and music series in its outdoor space, and the 20th anniversary of the Young Architects Program, which began in 2000. The inaugural project was an architecturally based 1998 installation by the Austrian artist collective Gelatin. In 1999, Philip Johnson’s DJ Pavilion celebrated the historic affiliation of MoMA PS1 and MoMA. The previous winners of the Young Architects Program are SHoP/Sharples Holden Pasquarelli (2000), ROY (2001), William E. Massie (2002), Tom Wiscombe / EMERGENT (2003), nARCHITECTS (2004), Xefirotarch (2005), OBRA (2006), Ball-Nogues (2007), WORKac (2008), MOS (2009), Solid Objectives – Idenburg Liu (2010), Interboro Partners (2011), HWKN (2012), CODA (2013), The Living (2014), Andrés Jaque / Office for Political Innovation (2015), Escobedo Soliz Studio (2016), Jenny Sabin Studio (2017), and Dream the Combine (2018).