Bellevue Arts Museum Biennial Installation

The dollhouse, like an architectural model, is a miniature building. But we don’t take it seriously. It is a toy for decoration, for learning about household rituals and roles.

We don’t play much with our models; they are serious design proposals. They tell us whether our ideas work in real space. They tell our clients whether our ideas solve their problems. They tell us about the future of our built environment.  

Our project started with a found object, a vintage dollhouse, and reimagined the architectural model as a place to play. We suspended disbelief about rules and roles and explored wild ideas for a suburban plot of land.

We experimented and toyed, but we also considered this a serious inquiry. Our suburbs are changing fast. Their strict limitations make less sense. As they evolve, different folks will inhabit their dollhouse-like dwellings. It’s time for new models.

Scope:

Art installation at the 2021 Bellevue Art Museum Biennial