MoMA PS1

With the restoration of PS1’s historic brick façade, lighting unifies the historic nature of the building with the imaginative edge of PS1. A continuous, brushed, stainless steel valance, cantilevered off of the façade, mirrors the building’s decorative terracotta cornice and reflects the sky. At night, the valance washes colored light over the brick. The color of the light complements the natural color of the brick, but is also oversaturated to add a layer of singular poetry identifying the building. High-powered spotlights on the façade seemingly stretch the building vertically, and remaining terracotta ornaments along the roofline are highlighted with linear uplights and spotlights.


Location Queens, New York, USA
Date Completed 2003
Architect WASA Studio
Client MoMA PS1
Type Museums + Cultural Institutions
Status Built

L'Observatoire Intl Team
Principal Hervé Descottes