Governors Island Welcome Center
Modern, Toronto
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
The pavilion is the first-ever welcome centre for Governors Island, and was added to help tourists better navigate the small island in the city's harbour. It lies just 800 yards (732 metres) from Manhattan's southern-most tip, and reachable by ferry from both there or downtown Brooklyn.
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
The Friends of Governors Island asked Office III to design the wooden structure, but with a few constraints: it had to be prefabricated, temporary and portable, and pitched to them just six weeks later.
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
The studio – founded by Stephanie Lin, Ryan Golenberg, and Sean Canty from Harvard's Graduate School of Design – looked to the island's Georgian Revival-style barracks and two military forts for subtle references.
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
A butterfly roof covers an 800-square-foot (74-square-metre) wooden deck to protect visitors from the sun, while remaining open to the grassy lawn.
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
Underneath, an information kiosk is the only fully enclosed structure. Polycarbonate windows and slatted wood serve as semi-walls, which create triangular nooks and lounging areas.
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
Office III collaborated with Laufs Engineering Design for structural engineering. The team chose timber louvres to resist the vertical loads of the roof, while a pentagon-shaped core supports the floor deck.
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
Marine-grade plywood lines the interior, while cedar planks cover the exterior. Both materials are resilient to New York's infamous summer rainstorms.
Governors Island Welcome Center by Office III
The centre's "Welcome" sign showcases the same lettering used around the island. Design agency Pentagram created the custom typeface, titled Guppy Sans, for Governors Island in 2014.
The Hills on Governor's Island by West 8
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Only open in the summer months, Governors Island is a popular day-trip destination. Citygoers ferry over to see the Statue of Liberty from a recently completed hilly park by the Dutch architecture firm West 8, or for enjoying music festivals and seasonal installations, like last year's City of Dreams Pavilion by Folio.