50 Years in the making. The mysteries of a New York World's Fair Pavilion, told by the people who lived it. Architecture in peril

Present day

The New York State Pavilion, once the shining symbol of the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, now sits as a haunting reminder of what became of the age of optimism that was the 1960s. This film tells the story of Philip Johnson's New York State Pavilion during the glory days of the fair, and chronicles its demise over the past 50 years. The film details its post-fair use as a 60s concert venue and 70s roller rink, including the years of neglect and the recent growing advocacy efforts to save and repurpose the structure.

MODERN RUIN: A World's Fair Pavilion documents what this iconic structure symbolized at the 1964-65 World’s Fair, and preserves many of the fascinating stories that are woven into the fabric of the building’s history. Few people remember that in 1969, some of the greatest musicians of the 20th century - The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Santana and many others - played in a summer concert series inside the Pavilion’s Tent Of Tomorrow. 

Circa 1964

By the early 70's, it had already been neglected for almost a decade when a young couple from Cleveland came upon it and decided to turn the building into a roller skating rink.  By 1975, as the city spiraled into economic crisis, they were kicked out and Philip Johnson's pavilion was left virtually untouched for almost 40 years. 

Mitch Silverstein & John Piro (The Painters of the Pavilion)

In 2009 a group of fair goers, led by John Piro and Mitch Silverstein, decided to take matters in their own hands by sprucing up the Pavilion with a fresh coat of paint.  This has helped to spark national interest in the New York State Pavilion, as well as a desire to develop an adaptive reuse for the structure. 

The Vintage Robot T-Shirt

Scale Model of the NYS Pavilion 1:1600 or 1"=50'

Scale Model of the General Motors Pavilion

In order to bring this project to you in the greatest quality possible,Matthew needs your support.  Even a small contribution will go a long way in making this project great.  

The film is already in post production but Matthew needs this funding to secure the necessary post production processing of the final cut, to bring you the best film possible.  This includes acquiring music and archival footage/photographs, image licensing, audio mastering, and DVD replication and packaging.  

Since February of 2013 he has conducted almost 2 dozen interviews with authors, historians, architects, architectural critics, fair goers, post-fair concert goers, the operators of the roller skating rink and many more interesting individuals. He has travelled across the country and criss-crossed the New York Metropolitan area documenting their experiences in an effort to preserve the rich story of this visible ruin.

Working on this film has been an incredible experience due largely to the overwhelming support he has received over the past year.  The film is truly the product of a community effort and the generosity of many who are passionate about learning more about this building and seeing it put back to good use.

People have donated money, time, photos, home movies, and so much more to help this film become a success.

Any amount you can contribute is greatly appreciated, and by donating, you are making a statement about how you feel about the historical and future importance of the New York State Pavilion.

Project by Matthew Silva

**For more information about the project and video,please visit the website

> via kickstarter.com