atelier van lieshout builds the original dwelling at design miami/basel

atelier van lieshout builds the original dwelling at design miami/basel 2015
all images courtesy of atelier van lieshout

simultaneously a luxurious hang-out and an imagined tribal abode, ‘the original dwelling’ by atelier van lieshout takes humankind back to its origins, recalling a primitive state of living. at design miami/basel 2015, london-and-paris-based carpenters workshop gallery presents van lieshout’s structural labyrinth as part of the design at large program — a platform for large-scale projects that extend beyond the framework of a traditional gallery booth. 

‘the original dwelling’ by atelier van lieshout takes humankind back to its origins

‘the original dwelling’ is a cave-like habitat which mirrors the archetypal structures that have housed humanity for centuries. winding interior spaces, narrow passageways and low, curved ceilings seem to be carved from white stone. the approximately 10 x 7 meter sculpture is a hybrid home and pool house, comprising all necessary living amenities — a bedroom, a playroom, a bar, a lounge and a dressing room. indoor expanses are lit by windows, skylights and alternative mood lighting. a body of sculptures accompany ‘the original dwelling’, which can double as outdoor lounge furniture in the style referred to by the artist as ‘nouveau brutalism’.

the cave-like habitat mimics the archetypal structures that have housed humanity for centuries

as part of the studio’s ongoing series ‘new tribal labyrinth’, van lieshout presents an interpretation of a future, yet primitive, society inhabited by fictional people. in an imagined world where humanity returns to farming, industry, rituals and rites,van lieshout’s work embodies a contemporary, idealistic, and primeval point of view, making it ‘the original dwelling’ in every sense of the word.

the dwelling is conceived as a luxurious hang-out and an imagined tribal abode

the hybrid home and pool house comprises all amenities necessary for living

the 10 x 7 meter sculpture features winding interior spaces, narrow passageways and curved ceilings