Dolmens are prehistoric monuments about which relatively little is known. They are one of the most common megalithic structures around the world, appearing on nearly every continent, and are relatively uniform, usually consisting of three or more upright stones that support a large flat horizontal capstone. To the contemporary viewer, they may appear a bit crooked, half buried, or mostly broken. Their informal composition, built with asymmetrical and deteriorating parts, often results in an uneasy balance. The proposed Dolmen for the MoMA PS1 courtyard is the result of an informal analysis of systems and patterns of dolmens, an unlikely historical precedent.

Too big to fit neatly within the court’s boundary walls, too small to hover clearly above them, the PS1 Dolmen seems a bit out of place. It is off-balance, grey, and dull, nailed in place, with virtually only paint holding it together at the seams. The wooden capstone box seems to leak at the mere thought of rain. Maybe this is no place for a party.