Project Title: The Booth
Collaborators: Germane Barnes, Akima Brackeen
Competition Entry: Folly/Function 2019
The Booth situated within Socrates Sculpture Park, The Booth is a kiosk inspired by New York’s rich musical history. The birth place of hip-hop culture, the structure mimics the massing of a DJ Booth. Often regarded as the most crucial element of any event, it serves as the entry point to sensorial experiences. The Booth provides a similar function due to its location at the entry point of the park it provides visitors the necessary information to fully experience the park and its many components. The proposal fulfills the Folly/Function criteria through the use of steel, wood and moveable polycarbonate panels which allow the kiosk to become as versatile as the musical genre that spawned 40 years ago from local boroughs such as Queens. This versatility allows the kiosk to operate as an additional sculpture while closed, a kiosk while operated by one individual and a social gathering space while operated by two individuals. While utilitarian, The Booth contributes a contemporary interpretation of a cultural icon.