New Public Hydrant reimagines New York City’s fire hydrants as shared public resources, with attachments for drinking, cooling and gathering.
Through the Water Is… workshop with Youth Design Center in Brownsville, Brooklyn, young people proposed new uses for water and neighborhood infrastructure. Two concepts, Chimere Francis’s Sprinkler Boombox and Isaac Scotland’s Solar Tea Station, were developed into full-scale prototypes for MoMA’s Architecture Now: New York, New Publics.
Water Is… workshop participants received honoraria and were credited as concept co-creators. MoMA commissioned and financed design development. Four metal prototypes later entered MoMA’s collection. A portion of proceeds from the MoMA acquisition sale was donated to Youth Design Center.
Concept design: Chimere Francis
Developed from Chimere Francis’s concept through the Water Is… workshop with Youth Design Center.
Exhibition: Architecture Now: New York, New Publics, MoMA, February 19–July 29, 2023.
Full-scale metal prototype in MoMA’s collection, object 4.2024.
Concept design: Isaac Scotland
Isaac’s workshop sketch and model informed the full-scale prototype.
Exhibition: Architecture Now: New York, New Publics, MoMA, February 19–July 29, 2023.
Full-scale metal prototype in MoMA’s collection, object 2.2024.
Workshop facilitators: Tei Carpenter, Immanuel Oni and Chris Woebken
Youth experts: Gerard Allison, Tymale Cuffie, Chimere Francis, Fatima Hassan, Destiny Jacobs, Jewel Johnson, Chimere Kinard, Aadithyan Mannarmannan, Tatiana Minto, Esteban Pacheco, Beyonce Reid, Isaac Scotland
Workshop support: Brittany Bellinger, Ivi Lewis, Quardean Lewis-Allen
Design development: Agency—Agency, Tei Carpenter and Chris Woebken Studio
Project team: Tei Carpenter, Chris Woebken, Arianna Deane, Ashley Kuo, Zeynep Ugur, Tanya Maneeintr
Thank you to curators Evangelos Kotsioris, Paula Vilaplana de Miguel and Martino Stierli for including us in such great company and for the support.
Fabrication support: Fabien Capéran and A Good Plumber.
Installation photography: Robert Gerhardt.
Opening reception photography: Alycia Kravitz.
Designing in public: toward policy
A City Council proposal would require NYC’s Department of Environmental Protection and Fire Department to install drinking fountains on at least five fire hydrants per borough in a pilot lasting two years. The aim is to expand access to free drinking water, reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles and help people cope with extreme heat.
amNewYork featured Tei Carpenter and Chris Woebken’s designs in its coverage, bringing the project into a wider discussion about access to drinking water.
- 2024–25: Erik Bottcher introduced the proposal (Int. 0010-2024). The bill ended without becoming law.
- 2026: Harvey Epstein reintroduced the proposal (Int. 0532-2026). The New York League of Conservation Voters lists it among its legislative priorities.
Status: In committee; not yet law. Checked October 30, 2026.
The Council proposal focuses on drinking-water access, while the youth concepts also explore music, social rituals and gathering. This raises a question: which possibilities become legible to a city agency, and which remain outside its brief?
The press coverage documents a connection; adoption of the designs and continued participant involvement would require further evidence.
Earlier work in the series
Hydrant on Tap (2018) and Hydrant for All (2018/2022), by Tei Carpenter and Chris Woebken. The first version of the series was developed for Water Futures at A/D/O in 2018.
Exhibitions & related material
Exhibitions & public programs
- Architecture Now: New York, New PublicsThe Museum of Modern Art, New York. Curated by Evangelos Kotsioris with Paula Vilaplana de Miguel.
- Water FuturesA/D/O, Brooklyn. Curated by Jane Withers. Earlier works in the hydrant series.
Articles, publications & talks
- Architect Tei Carpenter on Philosophy, the Future, and Her Public Hydrant — PIN–UPVere van Gool interviews Tei Carpenter about Intentional Estates Agency and New Public Hydrant; the article credits the hydrant collaboration with Chris Woebken.
- Tei Carpenter with Ayesha Ghosh — The Brooklyn RailAyesha Ghosh in conversation with Tei Carpenter, November 2024. Discusses New Public Hydrant and the collaboration with Chris Woebken.
- MoMA 2024 acquisitions — New Public HydrantMuseum acquisition record listing New Public Hydrant prototypes and drawings.
- For Agency—Agency, Architectural Issues Are Solved One Fire Hydrant at a Time
- MoMA's new architecture exhibition stages a wide set of local, civic-minded design projects
- New Public Hydrant would let New Yorkers drink from city water mains
- A brilliant hack for New York City's water hydrants