A response to the traditional “white cube” gallery design, this project provides an alternative space for an exhibition by artist John Chamberlain on Vassar’s campus. My design aims to create a more intimate environment that evokes a sense of home, where viewers are not only spectators but also parts of the artwork, as active performers.
Two exhibits, American Barge and Thordis’ Barge, a mixture between art and furniture by nature, encourage physical interaction. Both pieces are couch-shaped foam structures draped in white cloth. Their forms evoke an impression of a house closed for winter, a shrouded space vacant of living bodies.
In order to design a space that evokes the intimacy Chamberlain’s two exhibits intended, I incorporate residential features into the architecture. The building resembles a two-story private house. Visitors enter through descending stairs, then a small patio and a humble front door. American Barge and Thordis’ Barge are placed on the second floor, together with bookshelves and floor lamps as well as decorative houseplants on the wooden floor. These residential elements create a home environment that invites viewers to physically interact with the exhibits.
The location is also essential in constructing this ‘desirable home.’ Inspired by suburban homes’ common ties to nature, I locate the ‘home’ on a small hill facing Sunset Lake, and place American Barge right in front of a large glass window overlooking the water. With the lower part of the building submerged underground, viewers on the second floor have their feet exactly at ground level, confronting a clear lakefront view. They are surrounded by nature, without being anxious about potential exposure to the surveillance cameras and the security’s gaze.
s i y u e f a n 