Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s Grass Roofed Hypar Pavilion Wins AIA New York Chapter’s Architecture Award

Last night, the <a href="http://main.aiany.org/">AIA New York Chapter</a> announced the winners of its 2011 Design Award Winners, and we were thrilled to see that <a href="http://inhabitat.com/diller-scofidio-renfros-lincoln-center-grassy-remodel-opens-to-public/" target="_blank">Diller Scofidio + Renfro</a>'s grass-roofed Hypar Pavilion was one of the recipients! The pavilion is a posh restaurant located underneath the gorgeous sloping green lawn at the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/diller-scofidio-renfros-lincoln-center-grassy-remodel-opens-to-public/" target="_blank">recently remodeled Lincoln Center</a>. The stylish, green-roofed restaurant was part of the large scale remodel of the center by <a href="http://inhabitat.com/diller-scofidio-renfros-lincoln-center-grassy-remodel-opens-to-public/" target="_blank">Diller Scofidio + Renfro</a>, and serves a modern-Italian menu under an eye-catching blanket of green.

The sloping 7200 sq ft green lawn and restaurant are located in between the reflecting pool and the north end of the Plaza.

The dual purpose space is perfect for picnickers and people watchers, while also housing a high end two story restaurant that can serve around 200 people.

Elizabeth Diller, who led the project, said, “Hypar Pavilion’s moment of invention came when we discovered how to design a destination restaurant without consuming public space on the Lincoln Center campus."

"The green roof became a new kind of interface between public and private, with an occupiable twisting grass canopy over a glass pavilion restaurant.”

Chef Jonathan Benno, formerly of Per Se, dishes up contemporary Italian cuisine in three separate dining areas plus a bar.

High points of the roof on the NW and SE corners allow for tall glass facades to let diners enjoy the sites of the Lincoln Center while they eat.

The restaurant can seat up to 200 people.

The parabolic ceiling is paneled in polished mahogany and dramatically radiates to the edges of the room.

Reviews are still coming for the restaurant, but it seems like an amazing place to take in the sights, admire architecture, get a bit of culture and have a good meal.