The awards were announced at New York’s Museum of Modern Art on Feb. 17.
The awards recognize the best in yet-to-be-built architecture by U.S. firms.
Winning alongside a skyscraper by Morphosis and an entire cultural district by Weiss/Manfredi, the Mobile ArtSpace— designed by a team led by Los Angeles-based 64North along with Buro Happold, Formation Association and Steve Roden— is the only winning structure designed for transport on a flatbed truck.
Architect Magazine describes the Mobile ArtSpace as, “a large black cube!mysterious and seemingly inert. At night, however, its reflective sides come to life with an LED light show. And prior to shows, a solar-powered, internally lit balloon will float high above, acting as a beacon to lure people to the site and the strange black cube.”
The box sides drop down to reveal a reconfigurable performance stage, which will host a diversity of arts and cultural events— from Cambodian dance troupes to film screenings— throughout Long Beach and later in other cities. After performances, the box folds back into its cube before being transported to the next location.
“The Progressive Architecture awards embody the most innovative, ambitious architecture in the United States and worldwide,” 64North Director Wil Carson said. “The Mobile ArtSpace is in many ways a perfect match for this award, given its radical redefinition of the role the arts can play in our city and community.”
