PHOTOS: HWKN’s Giant Blue Smog-Eating Wendy Sculpture Opens at MoMA PS1

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/hwkns-spiky-armed-bright-blue-wendy-wins-the-2012-moma-ps1-young-architects-program/">Wendy</a> is here! <a href="http://hwkn.com/">HWKN</a> unveiled its spiky, blue, pollution-busting installation for MoMA PS1's ever-popular <a href="http://momaps1.org/warmup/">Summer Warm-Up series</a> last night to members of the press and we've got snaps of the water-spraying, smog-eating pavilion for your viewing pleasure. Step inside our gallery to see all of our photos and get your Wendy fix now.

In case you're not already familiar with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/hwkns-spiky-armed-bright-blue-wendy-wins-the-2012-moma-ps1-young-architects-program/">Wendy</a>, the prickly, larger-than-life outdoor sculpture by local firm <a href="http://hwkn.com/" target="_blank">HWKN</a> won this year's <a href="http://momaps1.org/yap/view/14" target="_blank">MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program</a> competition, and will be debuted to the press this Thursday, June 28th. 

In addition to meeting the contest's stipulations that the design provide shade, seating, and water as well as pay creative attention to sustainability, recycling, and material management, Wendy also promises to actually clean the air!

According to HWKN, the funky sculpture will be able to remove emissions equivalent to taking 260 cars off the road during the time it stays in the MoMA PS1 yard.

To achieve that ambitious goal, the design combines off-the-shelf materials and scaffolding systems with nanotechnology in a way that is both beautiful and environmentally economical.

The pavilion is covered in a blue PVC-based fabric treated with a groundbreaking titanium nanoparticle (TiO2) spray made by <a href="http://www.cristalglobal.com/home.aspx">Cristal</a> and <a href="http://www.pureti.com/">PURETi</a> that actually neutralizes polluting airborne particles. 

Some panels of the smog-fighting blue fabric before they're attached to the structure.

The way it works is that when TiO2 is exposed to the sun (something there will be plenty of in the yard of MoMA PS1 this summer), it engages in <a href="http://www.peakpureair.com/how-tio2-uv-photocatalytic-oxidation-pco-works">photocatalytic oxidation</a>, which safely burns (or oxidizes) organic matter at the molecular level and converts it into water vapor and tiny amounts of carbon dioxide.

And if the fact that it basically eats smog isn't enough for you, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/hwkns-spiky-armed-bright-blue-wendy-wins-the-2012-moma-ps1-young-architects-program/">Wendy </a>will also feature spiky arms that mist water and blasts of cool air out onto people.

The space will also feature a water canon, a pool, a DJ booth and an exhibition space.

As you can see, Wendy is nearly complete!

Even though it's not totally finished yet, Wendy is already cleaning the air.

We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of Wendy but if you're in <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/nyc">New York</a>, we highly encourage you to head over to Long Island City and check it out for yourself after it opens to the public on July 1, 2012.

[gallery_extend]....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/sneak-peek-see-hwkns-giant-blue-smog-eating-wendy-sculpture-before-it-opens-at-moma-ps1-next-week/'>READ ARTICLE</a>