Hoping that Yesterday's Tent of Tomorrow Has a Future
New York Times, November 18th 2001
The Tent of Tomorrow may usher in a new future. Two men want to transform
that empty shell and much of the rest of the New York State Pavilion
in Flushing Meadows, into an air and space museum. Philip Johnson,
who designed the pavilion for the 1964-65 World's Fair, supports the
idea.
"It's just sitting there, slowly deteriorating,"
said Alan Ritchie of Philip
Johnson/Alan Ritchie architects. "This would preserve the integrity
of the
original design and make use of the space. It's a very strong and
sound
idea."
The project is estimated to cost more than
$100 million. Architect Frankie
Campione likened the tent to Ebbets Field, the demolished home of
the
Brooklyn Dodgers. "It's not so much an icon of 60's architecture
as a
symbol of Queens" said Mr. Campione, Principal of CREATE Architecture
Planning & Design of Manhattan.
But for Mr. Aybar and Mr. Campione, the first
goal is to prevent the
pavilion from being destroyed, either by the elements or the city.
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