A Modern Day Noah’s Ark by Architects Austin + Mergold Pops Up at Socrates Sculpture Park
An overturned ark has washed ashore Socrates Sculpture Park. But don’t worry, Long Island City isn’t the scene of a maritime accident — the upside-down barge is a brand new art installation designed by Philadelphia’s Austin + Mergold.
Dubbed the SuralArk, the hulking vessel — which spans 50-feet-wide and 18-feet-tall — is the 2014 winner of Folly, Socrates Sculpture Park’s annual design competition co-sponsored with the Architectural League of New York. Austin + Mergold beat out 169 other entries from established designers and studios across the country to nab the top honors, giving their ark a summer-long stint at the park.
The 21st-century interpretation of Noah’s Ark is part-house and part-ship, covered in lumber and vinyl siding from suburban homes. It’s meant to represent the blurred lines between city and rural living, while nodding to the park’s maritime history since the area was once an industrial shipping zone. The SuralArk also draws attention to climate change in New York City — like many of the neighborhoods along the East River, Socrates Sculpture Park was flooded during Hurricane Sandy.
Visitors can check out the SuralArk and get a sense of colossal size in person from now through August 3rd.
[Via Inhabitat]
Photos courtesy of Austin + Mergold
