In November, a late-night blaze gutted the Pavilion, the de facto hub of Fire Island Pines. But Seth Weissman, one of the complex’s co-owners, promised vacationers it would rise from the ashes in time for the summer 2012 season. With the news that the architectural firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro—who helped redesign Lincoln Center and the High Line, have signed on to design a new Pavilion—it sounds like things are on track.
The New York Times reports:
Charles Renfro, a partner in Diller Scofidio + Renfro who has spent several summers on Fire Island, said the designers are thinking in “broad strokes” about “heightening” the entire commercial district into something more theatrical.
“We’re rethinking it as the Theater of the Pines, a proper name,” he said. “It’s about the comings and goings, the glances, the meetings: all of those things that are particular to the Pines… It’s always a parade ground, whether you are intentionally participating or unintentionally participating, you’re participating,” he said. “As you round the corner from the boardwalk, every single time you primp, you fluff, you pluck and you get ready for the entree onto the stage. That’s what we’re making, a new stage.”
Theater of the Pines? If you’ve tromped the boardwalk as often as we have, you know its more like Theater of the Absurd.
Images via FIP Ventures
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George K
this is a great choice! Renfro is at the forefront of architectural design, particular contextual architecture as evidenced by his work on the high line and lincoln center where he took the historic and gave it a fresh look. VERY EXCITING!
Josh S
finally this world class destination gets some world class architecture! I cant wait to see what they create for this summer and beyond.
Ted B. (Charging Rhino)
I fear it will be “Disney World arrives on Fire Island”….and not in a good way either.
Miss The Old Queerty
Towleroad covered this yesterday. When I need my news a day late and poorly written, I now know where to go.
It Puts The Troll In The Basket
@Miss The Old Queerty: Towleroad can write? My impression was that they just copy and pasted other reporters’ content and then pretended to be “insightful” by writing shitty headlines and two dry sentences of “here’s the work that other media outlets paid people to do.”
Alex Sarmiento
I recognize the Pavilion from the annual Invasion of the Pines. I’ve never been to New York, but every year I watch footage from the Invasion on Robin Byrd’s website. Hopefully, the new Pavilion will be ready in time for the 2012 Invasion.