New Amsterdam Pavilion is a pavilion a gift from the Netherlands to New York in honour of 400 years of friendship. The pavilion does not attempt to physically manifest a representation of the relationship, instead the Ben Van Berkel's design can be interpreted in different ways and speaks to both the history and the future of the city.
Situated in a prime location, the pavilion is just feet away from the hectic subway station, the Staten Island Ferry Terminal and Battery Park. The form's wings point toward historical places, such as the Hudson, and also point toward the future of the skyline, as a way to connect the two. With an estimated 75,000 people passing by, the pavilion will act as the heart of a busy intersection with people crossing over and meeting, coming together and interacting.
With only nine months to complete the pavilion, the project was constructed in Virginia to save time. Huge trucks transported the pieces of the pavilion to New York in the middle of the night. Yet, although rushed, van Berkel did not seem hindered by the time limit. In shorter projects, he explained, it is more about the form and making that form work.
